Transport is key to local prosperity
Councils in the cities and urban areas of England have ambitious plans to support their communities and grow local economies in ways that benefit everyone.
For eight years, the LGA’s City Regions Board has been at the forefront of making the case for providing greater powers for cities and urban areas.
Alongside the LGA’s People and Places Board, we advocate for greater devolution and, this year, our remit has been expanded to include strategic housing and transport – without which people can’t benefit properly from a more prosperous local area.
Improving the ways people can get around within and between cities and their surrounding areas is a challenge with which all our members are wrestling.
Our board members agreed to combine our recent meeting on strategic transport with a visit to one of the city regions at the forefront of devolution: Greater Manchester.
By train, car and bicycle, members gathered in the heart of the city, looking forward to seeing one another in person.
We had a jam-packed day and agenda, hearing industry and regional leaders’ views of the current challenges and opportunities.
Jason Prince, Director of the Urban Transport Group, the UK’s network of city region transport authorities, brought us up to speed on the current state of play in transport policy.
A clear vision for the importance of public transport is vital to developing the bus routes, road designs and cycle lanes that shape thriving cities, and members agreed that getting transport right is important for the success of many other policy aims.
Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the business-led think tank the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, led a stimulating discussion about how and where decisions on transport investment could be made as the local government landscape changes.
We were delighted that Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, was able to join us to share her experiences of working in a combined authority and with national government to try to join up transport planning and investment in a way that meets the city’s needs.
To bring this all to life, Cllr John Merry, Deputy Mayor of Salford and Chair of Key Cities, led us across the River Irwell to the impressive development at 100 Embankment.
Against the stunning backdrop of Manchester Cathedral, we learned how Salford’s regeneration programme is bringing together housing, town centre development, new employment and infrastructure.
Knitting together private investment and contributions from the city council, combined authority and government, improved transport – including active travel and making existing rail stations more accessible – is supporting the transformation of key areas such as Salford Central, Crescent Salford and Port Salford.
The programme delivered 67,000 new homes, almost 33,000 new jobs, and more than one million square metres of new employment floorspace. With more than 200 projects to 2040 identified, Salford is one to watch.
Thank you to Salford and Key Cities, and to all our speakers for their fantastic contributions.
It’s clear that the LGA’s City Regions Board has plenty to get its teeth into as we look to influence a new or returning government. Greater local leadership of transport planning and investment must be supported by a clear vision, and integrated into the wider economic agenda for cities.
Join us at the LGA’s third annual Urban Summit on 18 June, in London, to hear more. More information about the summit will be available on the LGA website soon.