The Mayor of the East Midlands has welcomed plans to devolve additional regulatory powers to Mayors – allowing them to have final say over decisions related to major public transport schemes.
The proposals, announced by the Government this week, will give local leaders more tools to deliver transport networks which meet the needs of local people.
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said: “Too often, the improvements that local people want are held up by slow decision-making in central government. A new bridge shouldn’t need government’s permission – if it is what we need and we have found the investment for it; we should be able to crack on.”
The additional powers will help speed up delivery of the Mayor’s Transport Plan, which is currently in development. It will set out the next few years for transport services and investment across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
A consultation on the new powers will run alongside a new national mass transit taskforce which will look at the biggest hurdles facing the introduction of mass transit systems across the UK, and how to overcome them. Currently, factors like the planning processes, fragmented funding arrangements and failure to acquire land can get in the way.
The independent taskforce, chaired by Bridget Rosewell CBE, will draw on best practice from across the world to make recommendations on how Mass Transit systems can be delivered quickly.
Other members of the taskforce will include Create Streets managing director David Milner, Arup chief officer for global business and markets Richard Di Cani, and Jason Prince, director of the Urban Transport Group. The Urban Transport Group will also provide the secretariat for the Taskforce.
Mass transit is an umbrella term covering networks of trams, light rail and high-frequency buses that move large numbers of people quickly across towns and cities and has transformed urban life in places like Nottingham.
These systems connect people with jobs, homes and opportunities, while cutting congestion and carbon emissions: vital to achieving Mayor Claire’s vision to make the East Midlands the best place to live, work and learn.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “We’re putting power in local hands, empowering Mayors to deliver mass transit in their towns and cities so they can make decisions for the communities they know best.
“Mass transit has the potential to transform towns and cities across the country. Creating a better, more integrated transport system will not only support economic growth and new jobs but will also deliver desperately needed housing.
“That’s why I am delighted to announce the formation of the Mass Transit Taskforce who will use their skills and vast knowledge to deliver real and practical recommendations to shape the future of urban transport for years to come.”
Mayor Claire Ward, left, and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.
The work of the Mass Transit Taskforce is already under way, with evidence already being gathered ahead of its first recommendations in six months’ time. Further details on the taskforce, including its full membership and immediate next steps, will be announced in due course.
Ms Rosewell said: “Integrated mass transit systems can transform how people move around our towns and cities, connecting communities with jobs, homes and opportunity.
“I am pleased to chair this taskforce as it looks closely at the barriers to delivery and provides practical recommendations to government and local leaders on how to turn ambition into reality.”