This is every bit as important as the NPPF for joint strategic plans as it sets down the new framework for appraisal, planning and funding of the scale of transport infrastructure necessary to support strategic scale growth locations.This demonstrates the further reg
The expectation is that investment in the major road network and other major road schemes that don’t form part of the strategic road network. should be through ‘Sub National Transport Bodies’ either dedicated bodies, such as Transport for the North, or the formative Transport for teh Midlands, or joint groups such as England’s Economic Heartland. This demonstrates the further ‘regionalisation’ of infrastructure in England. If you arn’t yet part of an STB (think Kent , Essex or Yorkshire,- cities or Greater) you will be at the back of the queue. Local authorities will be expected to organise themselves and prioritise schemes.
Sadly the funding and planning of roads is separate from rail and rapid transit (which still has no formal funding or bidding process – it is put off till the spending review and the government response to the national infrastructure assessment due in the same timeframe.
Equally the planning of transport is separate from the planning of land use. Though two factors are bring these closer together. Firstly the process of ‘regionalisation’ will often mean some planning responsibility for these bodies. Secondly the requirement for ‘Regional Evidence Bases’ will largely depend on the evidence that infrastructure will support growth base in terms of housing and local economies
We havnt had a formal strucre for ‘regionalisation’ of any kind of planning since 2011. This doument is at least a start.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions 