Draft Transport Levying Bodies (Amendment) Regulations 2017

Daniel Zeichner Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd February 2017 General Committees

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure, Mrs Gillan, to serve under your chairmanship, to use your preferred terminology. In 2012 an amendment was made to the transport levying bodies regulations that enabled the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to issue levies to meet the costs of carrying out its transport functions. In 2015, after a number of other integrated transport authorities were established, they too were enabled to issue levies by an amendment to the regulations. Therefore, it is only right that this latest amendment is made so that the newly established Tees Valley and West Midlands Combined Authorities can also issue such levies. Furthermore, I understand that both of the combined authorities and their constituent councils have had the opportunity to comment on the instrument and lawyers for the councils have confirmed that they are content with the provisions.

The Labour party fully supports the devolution of transport funding, and the establishment of the Tees Valley and West Midlands Combined Authorities presents a promising prospect for both regions. Indeed, research conducted by IPPR North shows the stark contrast in spending on transport across the country, with England’s north-east seeing £300 per person and the West Midlands receiving £266 per person, compared with London’s £1,900 per person for key infrastructure between 2016-17 and 2020-21. The capacity to issue levies will accordingly allow the two combined authorities to invest in transport for their respective regions, even as the UK Government nationally fail to address nationwide disparities in transport spending.

The Labour-run Tees Valley Combined Authority, with the support of Councillor Sue Jeffrey—Labour’s candidate for Tees Valley Mayor—has set out four strategic transport priorities that it intends to pursue with the involvement of national agencies and investment by Government: the first is that Darlington station should be HS2 ready with new platforms and links to adjacent developments; the second is an additional crossing of the River Tees; the third is improvements to east-west road connectivity from the A1(M) to the international gateway at Teesport; and the fourth is the electrification of the Northallerton to Teesport rail line to improve freight to Teesport and passenger services to Middlesbrough.

In the West Midlands, Labour’s candidate Siôn Simon has put forward a number of exciting policies. He has pledged to freeze public transport fares for a year, as well as to provide subsidised charges for job seekers, bring in 24-hour, seven-day running on key bus routes to help shift workers, cut congestion on the roads and improve journey times across the region, make the M6 toll free for drivers, expand Birmingham airport and quadruple the £8 billion growth and transport investment plan for the region.

We therefore welcome this amendment, which we believe will be an important tool for Labour Mayors to implement those policies following the elections in both the West Midlands and Tees Valley on 4 May.