Sub-national Transport Body.

Transcription

1 Sub-national Transport Body

2 Introduction The Strategic Alliance partners Local Transport Authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships established the Strategic Transport Forum in February The Forum, a non-statutory partnership, provides the opportunity for a single conversation on strategic transport issues. The Strategic Alliance partners have set out their commitment to develop a proposal to establish a statutory Sub-national Transport Body. The purpose of this engagement with prospective partners and stakeholders is to provide the opportunity to: Explain the work of the Strategic Transport Forum Set out the potential benefits of a Sub-national Transport Body Invite views on the key issues that need to be considered in developing the proposal for a Sub-national Transport Body Views will be collated and used to shape the development of an initial proposal

3 England s Economic Heartland Strategic Alliance Collaborative working founded in mutual trust and confidence

4 Why the Strategic Alliance? The Strategic Alliance initiative came about in response to recognition that: Strategic infrastructure issues (and solutions) extend beyond any one single area Issues that are common to one or more areas can benefit from a co-ordinated response There is a need for stronger integration of investment by Government, its agencies, and local authorities, as well as infrastructure and service providers The Alliance partners share a common aim: to look beyond current success and: Address identified barriers to economic activity (both existing and planned growth) Raise productivity to match, and where possible exceed, that of our global competitors To achieve this requires the Strategic Alliance to: Strip away duplication, remove inefficiencies, and enable faster, more agile decisions Simplify funding streams wherever possible so that the time (and cost) taken to develop proposals and get them delivered on the ground is reduced Provide greater certainty for private sector investors thereby encouraging them to commit sooner to investments with greater confidence

5 At the Heart of Technology Enabled Science and Innovation

6 Our Ambition England s Economic Heartland has to be more competitive to be successful in global markets We must improve our productivity to match the best in the world We must build on our inherent strengths to develop an offer that is truly iconic: so that we become the place to invest We must deliver place-based growth, where investment in infrastructure and services creates places for people and businesses Realising our potential requires an approach that is transformative in terms of Political leadership and governance/working arrangements (it s not just planning) Delivering our potential requires the long-term commitment of Government alongside that of Political and Business leaders

7 Our Potential (as identified by the National Infrastructure Commission) The corridor connecting Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Oxford could be the UK s Silicon Valley a world renowned centre for science, technology and innovation. But its future success is not guaranteed The Cambridge Milton Keynes Oxford corridor has a major role to play in the future of the UK economy. With the exception of London, no other part of the country hosts such a powerful combination of: World leading universities and research institutes Globally competitive business clusters Highly-skilled workers Potential to realise 85bn - 163bn additional GVA per annum But a lack of housing and connectivity are putting future success at risk

8 The Case for Strategic Leadership The National Infrastructure Commission in its Interim Report (November 2016) identified the added value of a single body for strategic transport issues The Transport Investment Strategy (published by DfT - July 2017) identified the benefit of taking a strategic approach at a cross-regional level identifying the opportunity for STBs to ensure that national investment programmes take account of regional transport strategies STBs are identified by the DfT as providing unprecedented access to investment decision making possible because of the STBs unique role as the single voice for their region and the legitimacy that statutory status gives them

9 Presentation Title Sub Heading / Date Strategic Transport Forum Established Feb 16 involves all the Alliance partners, DfT, Highways England, Network Rail, public transport operators, Transport Systems Catapult, Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) It is the focus for a single conversation with Government: Maintaining a single overview of strategic priorities Co-designing investment programmes with Government and its agencies Establishing joint project teams to deliver strategic proposals Sharing of resources and rationalisation of standards, practices and policies to improve the operation of the transport system Establishing the area as a living laboratory for technology enabled innovation

10 Immediate Priorities For the Government to ensure delivery of East-West Rail from Oxford to Cambridge at the earliest date possible For the Government to ensure that the development of the new Oxford to Cambridge Expressway takes in housing and economic growth planned locally To realise the potential of key transport interchanges e.g. rail stations To identify a Major Road Network that combines Highways England s roads and Local Transport Authorities managed and planned as a single network To press the case with Government that the National Roads Fund (to be established from 2020) be used to invest in the Major Road Network In addition, there is a commitment by the Local Transport Authorities to develop a proposal to establish a statutory Sub-national Transport Body

11 The Benefits of a Sub-national Transport Body The Concept Report prepared by Bircham Dyson Bell for the Strategic Transport Forum identifies a number of potential benefits for the Heartland of seeking to establish a Sub-national Transport Body (STB): Working as a stronger client and so passing on efficiencies to local transport users Being a stronger advocate for the user Acting as a single regional voice in national discussions Financial innovation and reform Delivery of wider reform Providing a single voice for the users when dealing with third party providers [The Concept Report is available in full on the Strategic Alliance s website]

12 The Potential Functions of an STB The legislative framework is not prescriptive in terms of how a Sub-national Transport Body might function: some of the functions that it might have include: Preparation of a Transport Strategy for the area Providing advice to the Secretary of State about the exercise of transport functions Co-ordination of transport functions in relation to the area that are exercisable by different constituent authorities, with a view to improving effectiveness and efficiency Exercising specific transport functions that are currently exercised by other public bodies

13 The Potential Models of an STB In considering the options available for strategic transport planning across the Heartland, the Concept Report identifies four potential models: Maintain the current status quo as an informal partnership Developing the Strategic Transport Forum as a more formalised but non-statutory partnership Establishing the Strategic Transport Forum as a formal (statutory) Sub-national Transport Body, but with a narrow range of functions Establishing the Strategic Transport Forum as a Sub-national Transport Body with a wider range of functions and responsibilities There are benefits and dis-benefits associated with each option: these are set out in more detail in the Concept Report The Strategic Transport Forum is proposing to develop a proposal that will ultimately establish a statutory Sub-national Transport Body having first strengthened the current non-statutory working arrangements

14 The Potential Responsibilities of an STB A Sub-national Transport Body could potentially: Seek to take on responsibility for identifying the Major Road Network combining Highways England s Strategic Road Network and the more strategic roads owned by the Local Transport Authorities Seek to take on responsibility for managing, and identifying investment in, the Major Road Network, including that currently managed through the Roads Investment Strategy Seek a directing role in managing, and identifying investment in, the rail infrastructure Seek a role in specifying and letting of future passenger rail franchises where they operate in the Heartland area Seek the ability to take on powers set out in the Buses Act to help ensure a high quality bus network and enhancement of the local bus offer in partnership with the bus operators Seek to take on responsibility for enabling the widespread adoption of smart ticketing technology Seek a role in identifying and implementing measures that improve the overall resilience of the transport system as a means of supporting economic activity

15 The Geographical Scope of the STB The members of the Strategic Transport Forum are proposing to develop a proposal to establish a statutory Sub-national Transport Body. The legislative framework makes it clear that only Local Transport Authorities may be constituent members of an STB. Other bodies (such as Highways England, Network Rail, Local Enterprise Partnerships and local planning authorities) may be co-opted members of the STB. In developing a proposal it is appropriate to explore with adjoining Local Transport Authorities including authorities in London the extent to which strategic transport issues reach across into their areas. The Strategic Transport Forum is therefore keen to engage with adjoining Local Transport Authorities as part of this initial engagement.

16 Summary The scale of economic opportunity across England s Economic Heartland over the next 30 years will be transformational with the current 92bn economy growing by a factor of 2 or 3. Some of the key challenges facing the Heartland will be: Extra pressures on our transport system at a time when the expectations of individuals and businesses are increasing The changing nature of demand for travel as a result of the digital economy and the emergence of the shared economy Changes in the way consumers access transport Changes in wider society As a result, the Local Transport Authorities are developing a proposal to establish a statutory Sub-national Transport Body that will provide the strategic leadership required to meet these key challenges

17 Engagement Questions As part of that process we are seeking your views in response to a number of issues: 1. Do you agree that the proposed STB would be best placed to develop and oversee delivery of a transport strategy for the Heartland? 2. If not, where should responsibility lay? 3. What transport issues in the Heartland do you feel will most need addressing? 4. Do you have any ideas or potential solutions to these challenges? 5. What responsibilities and powers should any responsible body have in order to address the challenges? 6. How could the responsible body best work with transport providers? 7. How could the responsible body best work with local planning and economic development bodies, the wider business community and other partners?

18 Please submit responses via the website: Martin Tugwell, Programme Director englandseconomicheartland@buckscc.gov.uk