Decision details

It was agreed to consider the Transport for the North Update as the first substantive item of the agenda.

David Brown, Chief Executive of Transport for the North, gave a presentation on the recently formed Transport for the North body. 

It was reported that the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act – January 2016 amended the Local Transport Act 2008, the amendment enabling the Secretary of State to establish by regulations a sub-national transport body (STB) for any area in England outside Greater London.

It is proposed to formally establish "Transport for the North" as an STB; officers are currently preparing an STB proposal including constitutional arrangements, functions and powers.

Transport for the North will continue to provide a platform for engagement and collaboration with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), businesses and private sector to shape and inform its strategy.  In addition, there will be similar continuation of collaboration with national agencies such as Highways England, Network Rail, HS2 and the National Infrastructure Commission.

David stressed that the purpose of Transport for the North (TfN) is to draw functions down from central government, not take away any functions from existing local transport authorities.  It is not proposed that transport functions exercisable by a local authority (or PTE) should be exercisable by TfN instead of by the local authority (or PTE), but it is suggested that some transport functions should be exercisable by TfN concurrently with the local authority. TfN will be about adding value at a pan-Northern level.

It is intended that the next steps will include creation of a draft proposal by July 2016 for submission to the Department for Transport to review and prepare a Draft Order (Statutory Instrument) with the Statutory Instrument drafting and Parliamentary Stages beginning in October 2016, with an anticipated completion date of Spring 2017.

Committee Members welcomed the presentation and the opportunity to contribute, on behalf of Lancashire, to the development of TfN through the consultation stages.

Resolved:  That the Transport for the North presentation and update be noted.