Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

Statutory powers one step closer for regional transport bodies, says UK government

17 Nov 2015, 11:03 am

Plans to put regional transport bodies such as Transport for the North (TfN) in the north of England on a statutory footing have been published by the UK government.

The government intends to cede more transport powers to 'city-regions' operating under a directly-elected mayor as part of its regional devolution policy. By giving statutory status to TfN and similar bodies which may be created by the Midlands and other regions in the future, the government hopes to give them the "permanence they need to plan for the long-term", it said.

Transport minister Andrew Jones said good regional transport connections had "a fundamental role in driving economic growth".

"This goes hand in hand with devolving power to those that know their economies and customers best," he said.

"We know the north as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Legal status will ensure that TfN's impact and influence, and the transformational change that can result, is felt by customers for years to come," he said.

Strategic transport investment decisions in England are currently taken at a national level. However, powers over transport investment form part of a package of devolved powers and resources that may be granted to different regions as part of the City Deals regional devolution programme.

The creation of TfN was announced in October 2014 by the UK chancellor, George Osborne, as part of his plans to create an economic 'northern powerhouse' by building closer links between the region's major cities. Once given statutory status, it would be able to advise transport ministers on investment priorities in the north of England and on the strategic transport schemes needed to boost growth.

TfN is due to publish an update on its plans for a northern transport strategy by spring 2016. Its initial proposals included investing in high speed rail to cut journey times between the cities, building a new road tunnel under the Peak District and introducing simpler fares and 'smart' ticketing, based on London's Oyster card.