The Local Transport Bill should extend the powers of Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs) to cover highways and bus policy in northern city regions, according to a leading think-tank.
A new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research North said PTEs should exert influence over policy areas, including bus timetables, urban bus lanes, routes and fares in order to drive economic prosperity in the north.
Under the current quality contract status it is ‘very difficult’ for PTEs to influence bus policy. It also warned that PTAs would struggle to finance new transport schemes under the current Bill, with the ‘toolkit of current funding options too limited’.
Supplementary Business Rates could be a promising solution, the report recommended. The report called on the Government to ensure areas outside city regions are not left with ‘significantly more dysfunctional transport arrangements than areas inside them’.
One solution would be to grant road-user charging powers to cities and towns outside city regions, and other powers being granted to PTAs under the Bill. It warns that the pace of reform could be too slow under the bill, especially in terms of agreeing quality contracts for bus services.
A PTE should be established in the Tees Valley city region, the report recommends, ‘as there is clear evidence that this would improve the prospects for public transport there’. At a regional level there needs to be clearer lines of communication and more liaison between the Regional Development Agencies, the Highways Agency and the Department for Transport.
The report says RDAs should have more influence over transport policy for the north, with a specific remit to integrate different transport modes and facilitate a modal shift towards lower-carbon transport solutions.
Welcoming the report, Neil Scales, chair of pteg, said: ‘IPPR are right to say that we need transport authorities with the full set of powers they need to deliver the transport policies and schemes that will keep the city regions moving.
‘Some of the Local Transport Bill does need strengthening to achieve this – particularly on ensuring that bus networks can be properly planned and regulated.’
Moving On: A progressive transport policy for Northern England : www.ippr.org/ipprnorth/pressreleases/?id=3021
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