Wales’ regional transport consortiums have survived an attack from government advisers who wanted transport planning removed from local government.
The consortiums were established to bring regional perspectives to transport planning. From April, they will receive blocks of transport grant and follow regional transport plans in allocating the funding to constituent local authorities.
The Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG), providing independent advice on economic and transport policies, described them as an unnecessary tier. ‘The assembly government should take control of strategic routes into urban areas, as well as all local authority responsibilities for transport planning and delivery,’ it said.
Local authorities should have no responsibility for buses and retain only their ‘highway, street and traffic authority functions in relation to the redefined local road network’, ensuring a ‘more holistic approach’ and the most effective use of staff. The consortiums lacked the skills to deliver and had complex governance arrangements and no formal powers. ‘Each constituent local authority has the ability to veto a cross-border scheme,’ said the MAG, consisting of business leaders, academics and a trade unionist.
The Welsh Assembly Government said it had rejected this recommendation ‘as it considers local authorities are best placed to undertake planning and delivery of local transport matters’.
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