Local control of transport hailed as end to ‘cap in hand’ pleading

Transport Minister Norman Baker said local transport bodies are set to be established in each of the country’s 39 local enterprise partnership (LEP) areas to decide on which new road, rail and bus schemes to fund in years to come.

The decision marks the end of years of Yorkshire transport bosses being forced to go cap-in-hand to Whitehall to request funding for new road upgrades or other significant transport projects.

The announcement was made on the day the Government formally signed off a series of historic “city deal” devolution packages that will see new power and funding handed to England’s largest urban areas, including the Leeds and Sheffield city regions.

Under the new funding system, local transport bodies will be formed over the coming months in each of the 39 LEP areas, made up of representatives from LEP boards as well as local councils and transport authorities. They will be handed funding from Whitehall on a per capita basis, and asked to draw up lists of local schemes on which they would like the cash to be spent.

Mr Baker said: “We want to ensure decisions on new transport infrastructure are made at a more local level than previously.

“LEPs are well placed to understand how transport investment can be used to boost economic growth and that is why we want them, working with local authorities, to have a key role.”

Labour said it welcomed the devolution plan but that the business-led LEPs were the wrong bodies to take control.

Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle said: “Decisions over investment in local transport schemes should be taken by elected transport authorities, and not by unaccountable LEPs.”