England’s sub-national transport bodies
There are seven sub-national (or regional) transport bodies in England. Outside London their membership is formed from a mix of local highways authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), local airports, National Highways, Network Rail and Department for Transport. They also work closely with Chambers of Commerce and other business interests.
England's Economic Heartland
Area covered
Bedford, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Luton, Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Peterborough and Swindon
Lead / hosting authority
Buckinghamshire Council
Transport Strategy
Adopted its strategy in February 2021
Midlands Connect
Area covered
Birmingham, Coventry, Derby, Derbyshire, Dudley, Herefordshire, Leicester, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Sandwell, Shropshire, Solihull, Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent, Telford & Wrekin, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire
Lead / hosting authority
West Midlands Combined Authority
Transport Strategy
Midland Connect’s Transport Strategy was first published in 2017. The latest Strategic Transport Plan and summary documents are available here
Website
www.midlandsconnect.uk
Peninsula Transport
Area covered
Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay
Lead / hosting authority
Plymouth City Council
Transport Strategy
None at present
Transport East
Area covered
Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock
Lead / hosting authority
Suffolk County Council
Transport Strategy
Currently being developed
Website
www.transporteast.org.uk
Transport for the North
Area covered
Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester, Cumbria, Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Hull, Lancashire, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, Sheffield, Tees Valley, Warrington, York
Note
Strategic Rail which is part of Transport for the North covers an area that extends into the Midlands Connect area so there are some authorities with a foot in both sub-national transport bodies.
Transport Strategy
Strategic Transport Plan
Website
www.transportforthenorth.com
Transport for the South East
Area covered
The six Berkshire authorities, Kent, Medway, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Surrey, East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove.
Lead / hosting authority
East Sussex County Council
Transport Strategy
Adopted its strategy in June 2020.
Western Gateway
Area covered
Bath and North East Somerset, BCP Council (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Lead / hosting authority
Gloucestershire County Council
Transport Strategy
Adopted a short term transport strategy in December 2020.
Website
www.westerngatewaystb.org.uk