Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) the North East Combined Authority and (b) other combined authorities without a mayor will be able to bid for funding from the £4.2 billion fund for local transport set out in Budget 2020.

At Budget, Government announced its new £4.2 billion fund for local transport in eight city regions as part of its commitment to level up urban transport. Funding will be delivered through five-year, consolidated transport settlements agreed with central government and based on plans put forward by Mayors. In Tyne and Wear, funding will be conditional on the formation of a single Mayoral Combined Authority across the city region, to ensure accountability and effective delivery of funding, following the model that has worked for London. The details of how Government will take forward the settlement in Tyne and Wear will be set out in due course.

In addition, the whole of England will benefit from the largest ever programme of investment in strategic roads, the £2.5 billion Potholes Fund, and the Transforming Cities Fund. Further local transport funding will be set out at the Spending Review, including the £5 billion announced by the Prime Minister for buses and cycling.