Ministers set to devolve decision-making on local major transport schemes

The Department for Transport is to press ahead with plans to devolve more of the decision-making on major transport schemes to a local level, after claiming widespread backing for its proposals.

Publishing the Government’s response to a consultation, Transport Minister Norman Baker said that proposals to allocate funding locally according to population had received broad support – particularly among local authorities and local enterprise partnerships (LEPs).

Priorities would then be decided by new local transport bodies comprising local transport authorities, LEPs and others “with a key interest”.

Under the current arrangements, local major transport schemes have been individually approved and funded by the Government under a centralised bidding process.

Baker said: “We want decisions on new transport infrastructure to be made more efficiently, and at a more local level than has previously been the case.

“While it is right for the Government to look at the big picture and co-ordinate schemes with a national impact, there is no substitute for local knowledge. That is why we want to make sure that important decisions affecting the future of towns and cities across England are made by those who best understand the specific issues facing their communities.”

Local transport bodies will be expected to demonstrate to local stakeholders and central Government that the schemes they will carry forward provide good value for money.

In a written ministerial statement Baker said: “We have a responsibility to ensure that the new local decision makers have arrangements in place to achieve the value for money that we know that the right schemes can deliver and to take account of other important factors such as environmental impact.

“Most respondents accepted the need for robust local assurance frameworks and we will shortly publish detailed guidance on this, to enable local areas to submit their draft frameworks by December.”

The minister added that transparency was essential to ensure priorities are widely publicised and to allow local people to shape them.

“Evaluation will also assume an even greater importance, to enable all parties to look critically at whether key outcomes were achieved and to learn lessons for future investment decisions,” Baker said.

Local areas have been asked to confirm the geographical basis for their local transport bodies by 28 September.