East Midlands authority gets £2bn transport improvement plans on the road after inaugural meeting

The East Midlands Combined County Authority has taken another crucial step towards improving and transforming how people travel across the region after holding the first meeting of its new Transport and Digital Connectivity Committee with plans to begin allocating £2 billion of transport funding.

During the milestone meeting at The Buxton Crescent Hotel, on September 11th, East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward fielded questions from the public and committee members and councillors from across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire as they discussed shaping a clear, ambitious vision for the Mayor’s Transport Plan.   

East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward told the meeting: “I think it’s important that in all of this process people feel there is a constant improvement towards an end point or a transition for the kind of transport system we are going to have in this region and along that way there will be better connectivity and improved fares and people will see it’s about a joined-up vision and a plan in the long-term.” 

The committee discussed reimagining public transport services, the transport transition programme and setting out a bold pipeline of investment-ready projects that EMCCA claims will make a real difference to daily life, from smoother roads and modern bus fleets to greener rail links and safer cycling routes with the Mayor’s Transport Plan due to go out to public consultation this year. 

It also oversaw plans for improvements to bus services as EMCCA takes over the day-to-day responsibility for bus planning and the committee will now also steer the development of the transport investment programme for the region to begin allocating the £2 billion of transport funding the Government recently announced for EMCCA in the coming six years. 

EMCCA claims this historic investment, the largest the East Midlands has seen in a generation, marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in building a world-class transport network that connects communities, unlocks growth, and makes every day journeys healthier, greener, and more reliable.

Nottinghamshire County Council Leader, Cllr Mick Barton, sat as Committee Chairperson and he was joined by a mix of new and returning members united in driving forward a step change in how people move around the East Midlands. 

However, there was no discussion at this early stage exactly where and how the £2bn funding pot which the Labour Government announced in June under the Plan for Change for regional transport for the East Midlands Combined County Authority will be used. 

But the funding is expected to drive the design of a new mass transit system to connect Derby and Nottingham, encompassing road, rail and bus improvements.   

This investment will also support connections across the Trent Arc Corridor, encompassing the Infinity Park Investment Zone site and East Midlands Freeport, with sites including Ratcliffe-on-Soar clean energy and advanced manufacturing, and East Midlands Intermodal Park, the home of Toyota in the East Midlands, and it is also expected to be used on road projects, including the Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route and the A614/A6097 improvements.   

But the long-awaited plans for the much-needed Chesterfield-to-Staveley Regeneration Route bypass and its surrounding developments are still awaiting a Government decision on an estimated necessary £141m of funding for a final go-ahead which may depend on the outcome of a business case and a ground investigation. 

Community group representatives and residents highlighted a number of transport concerns from across the region where they feel support is needed.

These included: Bus and rail coordination in the Peak District; How EMCCA will prioritise transport schemes for funding; Improving Derbyshire’s Rail connectivity for Belper with more stops; Calls for a new railway station for Clay Cross; Electrification of the Midland Mainline; Sustainable transport; EMCCA’s work with  Hope Valley Climate Action’s plan for a new public transport network dubbed ‘Switzerland in the Peak District’; And control over bus routes and times. 

Ms Ward has stated that the £2bn Transport for City Region funding is aimed at delivering capital improvements to the transport infrastructure across the region to allow investment in improving the resilience of the transport network, providing upgraded public transport facilities, such as electrification of bus depots, as well as critical additions to the highway network to unlock development opportunities. 

She added that the funding has to cover all local transport needs for the region, including sustainable travel and all its investments will be taken through a consistent appraisal process to ensure investments meet local strategic priorities for growth and transport.   

Ms Ward has also revealed that EMCCA is already exploring options to consider how a new Clay Cross station could be served if it were to be opened, and EMCCA would also support additional stops at Belper but this is a question for both East Midlands Railway and Cross Country trains. 

She added that she is extremely disappointed that the Midlands Mainline Electrification project has been paused but she stressed EMCCA will soon publish both its Local Growth Plan and an East Midlands Inclusive Growth Framework with an approach to ensuring that growth embeds wellbeing and sustainability.   

During discussions with councillors, EMCCA officers recognised the need to work with transport operators and they also discussed concessionary fare arrangements. 

Ms Ward’s has previously stated that she aims to work collaboratively with bus operators so services are maintained and serve the public in the most effective way possible. 

Committee member Ms Ward said “This is an important step for the Transport Committee. Not only are we looking to set the transport strategy for the next 15 years, but with £2 billion secured, we can look beyond short-term fixes and start building a transport network worthy of the future we want, one that connects people to jobs, education and opportunity, and powers economic growth for the whole region. 

“It’s about making sure people can get where they need to go, more easily, more reliably, whether that’s by bus, train, bike or car. This is our chance to do things differently and raise our sights. We’re listening to communities, partners and businesses to make sure we invest where it counts.” 

In the months ahead, EMCCA aims to work closely with stakeholders and communities to build a clear map to deliver transformational projects.   

EMCCA says it is committed to addressing immediate transport needs while also developing options for larger, longer-term projects and that it is committed to ensuring that every pound of funding drives maximum benefit for local people and businesses, now and for generations to come. 

The committee voted to approve EMCCA’s Transport Transition Plan with the transfer of local transport services to establish EMCCA as the transport authority. 

It also approved the Transport Investment Programme Development to confirm regional transport funding with plans to develop a transport investment programme, and the committee approved the Development of the Mayor’s Transport Plan and the first round of a consultation. 

EMCCA’s Public Transport Transition Plan hopes to deliver improvement plans to ensure existing services are improved by 2027. 

A further report is due in October to seek approval for the first consultation on the Transport Plan to go ahead. 

Ms Ward added: “I note there are people who are sitting in the public audience who would not have come if we weren’t sitting in Buxton and I want to make sure people everywhere get an opportunity to see our meetings. 

“We are in a beautiful part of our region and a stunning place in Buxton and take a minute to look up and see it is one of the gems of the region."

The East Midlands Mayor has also recently joined forces with the Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire regional mayors under a new Peak Partnership to better support the Peak District’s rural communities with improved transport links between two major cities while aiming to boost the visitor economy. 

EMCCA brings together representatives from four local authorities – Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council – who still oversee many public services but the new East Midlands authority will deal with broader issues like transport, regeneration and employment although Leicester City and Leicestershire County councils declined to join.