Local Transport Board invites comments on draft programme

Consultation on major transport schemes proposed for the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership area (Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay) will continue for the next fortnight.

The Heart of the South West Local Transport Board (LTB) will manage the funding to be devolved from the Department for Transport for major local transport schemes. It has been allocated an indicative sum of around £40.6 million over four years.

The final allocation, which will not be known until the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review has been concluded, could be higher or lower. It will support the delivery of transport schemes costing over £3 million between 2015 and 2019. The Government funding is intended to be a contribution towards the total cost of each scheme with local funding also required for each project. Authorities may also fund similar schemes from other sources – and therefore the draft programme is not a comprehensive list of all large schemes in the area.

The Board is made up of elected members from each of the local transport authorities together with representatives from the Heart of the South West (HotSW) Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Network Rail and the Highways Agency.

The Board will consider highway and public transport schemes put forward by the local transport authorities, and prioritise them according to agreed criteria for funding. The Board is currently seeking comments on the range of schemes being considered for its draft programme which includes junction and roundabout improvements, the upgrade of strategic roads as well as rail improvements and the delivery of two new railway stations.

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: “The schemes being put forward are those which are considered to be the priorities for the area, with the majority being linked to economic growth and development. They will all be competing for funding so tough decisions will have to be made by the Board on which schemes are allocated funding. We’re asking people to comment on the overall programme and whether the Board has got the balance right or whether they feel any other schemes should be included.”

The Local Transport Board will meet to consider priorities next month and agree which schemes should be included in an outline programme for 2015 - 2019. Once the outline programme has been agreed, local authorities will develop detailed business cases for each scheme alongside detailed designs.

More information about the schemes in the draft programme are available at www.heartofswlep.co.uk/local-transport-board. Agenda papers and minutes of each Local Transport Board meeting will also be published on this website.

Any questions about the schemes or comments about the composition of the LTB programme should be sent by 25 June to the LTB secretariat, at heartofsouthwestlocaltransportboard-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

Or write to: Andrew Ardley, Local Transport Board Secretariat, Planning Transportation & Environment, Devon County Council, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD.

Any specific concerns or questions from members of the public or stakeholders about individual schemes will be forwarded on to the local transport authority concerned who will respond directly.