EEH consults on request for powers

Governance

England’s Economic Heartland is consulting on the powers it wants to hold as a statutory sub-national transport body.

Statutory status would automatically grant EEH general functions under the Local Transport Act 2008, including responsibility for preparing a transport strategy and advising the secretary of state on the area’s Strategic Road Network and rail network.

The EEH also wants:

• the right to be consulted about new rail franchises 
• the right to have a role in setting the High Level Output Specification (HLOS) for rail and the Road Investment Strategy – acting jointly with the secretary of state 
• the ability to enter into agreements to undertake certain works on the Strategic Road Network, Major Road Network or local roads – enabling EEH, working with partners, to promote regional cross-boundary schemes 
•  the ability to make capital grants for the provision of public transport facilities – enabling EEH to support the funding and delivery of joint projects with constituent authorities 
• the ability to secure the provision of bus services – enabling EEH and partners to fill in gaps in bus service provision 
• the ability to enter into bus partnerships – enabling EEH and partners to introduce partnership schemes covering more than one local transport authority area 
• the ability to introduce integrated ticketing schemes 
• the right to promote or oppose Bills in Parliament – enabling EEH to promote, co-ordinate and fund regionally significant infrastructure schemes. 

EEH covers an area of central southern England stretching from Swindon in the west to Cambridgeshire in the east.

Consultation on the powers runs alongside a consultation on a draft transport strategy (LTT 26 Jun). Both run to 6 October.