Local Transport Board Meeting Note

9.00am Monday 18^th July 2016

Endeavour House Ipswich

Board Attendance

David Abbott

Highways England

Tig Armstrong

Norfolk County Council

Nick Burfield

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce

Jamie Burles

Abellio Greater Anglia

Justin Wythe

Ipswich Buses

David Cumming

Norfolk County Council

Paul S Davey

HP UK

Cllr James Finch

Suffolk County Council

Paul Horne

Suffolk County Council

Neeraj Kaushal

DfT Northern Transport Strategy Team

Graeme Mateer

Suffolk County Council

Karl Murphy

DfT

Richard Pace

Norwich International Airport

Mark Pendlington (Chair)

New Anglia LEP

Richard Perkins

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce

Richard Schofield

Network Rail

Chris Soule

Country Land Owners and Business Associations

Chris Starkie

New Anglia LEP

Apologies

Simon Amor

Highways England

Andrew Bell

Norwich International Airport

Keith Brown

Visit East Anglia

Richard Burnett

Road Haulage Association

Jonathan Cage

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

Ali Clabburn

Liftshare

Cllr Stuart Clancy

Norfolk County Council

John Dugmore

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce

Richard Ellis

Visit East Anglia

Graeme Ferguson

MAG Airports (Stansted)

Larry Heyman

GT Railways

Charles Horton

GoVia (GT Railways)

John Howells

Road Haulage Association

Lee Sambrook

DfT

David Squire

First Group

Richard Tunnicliffe

CBI, East of England

Dave Watson

Suffolk County Council

Caroline Williams

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

Hannah Grimes

Norfolk County Council

Emily Manser

New Anglia LEP

Jeremy Cooper

Ipswich Buses

Vince Muspratt

Norfolk County Council

Public attendance

Cllr Guy McGregor

Suffolk County Council

1. Welcome and Introductions

The Chair welcomed delegates and thanked them for their commitment to the LTB.

2. Minutes and Matters Arising

The February 2016 minutes were agreed.

Cllr James Finch asked about the renewal of the East Anglia franchise.

In response, Jamie Burles said that the evaluation was ongoing; there had been a

delay due to Brexit but it was now back on track. An announcement might be

expected in the first week of August.

Mark Pendlington added that the Rail Task Force was pressing for an announcement

as soon as possible.

3. Feedback from NALEP Board

Chris Starkie updated the Board:

 Growth Deal 3: Deadline for the LEP’s submission is 28 July. The LEP Board

meets this week to sign off the bid. The LEP had a challenge session with

Michael Heseltine. There will be a decision on the bid by the Autumn Statement.

He outlined that the moneys would be for 2019/20 and 2020/21. Decisions about

which projects would receive funding would be made at a later date.

 The Board discussed any potential implications arising from Brexit.

 The Board received a report on programme implementation.

ACTION: Chris Starkie to seek support of MPs for Growth Deal Three

Cllr Guy McGregor asked about Segway (Suffolk Energy Gateway, formerly known

as the Four Villages Bypass). Chris Starkie stated that the Board had previously

supported this project through the local major transport scheme funding bid process.

Karl Murphy indicated that it was likely that DfT would make a decision regarding this

funding stream by the end of the week (22 July).

Mark Pendlington updated on Devolution. He stated that government is now open for

two deals, one for Norfolk and Suffolk, and one for the Cambridgeshire area. Public

consultation runs until 23 August. If it proceeds there would be a Mayoral election in

May 2017. In terms of funding, he outlined the deal included:



£25m for 30 years



£275m over five years for transport



£130m for housing.

Chris Soule asked about the districts that had decided not to be part of the deal. In

response Mark stated that the legal advice was that they cannot opt in until 3-4

years’ time.

The LEP has organised three business breakfasts as part of the consultation:



26 July Ipswich UCS



28 July University of the Arts, Norwich



29 July Bury St Edmunds West Suffolk College.

ACTION: Chris Starkie to circulate invitations

4. Roads Deep Dive

David Cumming gave an overview of roads, indicating:

 The split between local authority roads and the strategic road network (trunk

roads funded and maintained by government through Highways England).

 Funding allocations for local authority roads.

 Decision-making process for local authority roads.

David Abbott presented on the strategic road network:

 Although trunk roads form only 3% of the network they take 33% of the traffic.

 Highways England is working on developing the trunk road programme post-2020

(known as RIS2).

 There is a call for evidence, closing date end July.

 An Options Assessment report would be completed during autumn into the New

Year.

 Route Strategies would be published March 2017.

In discussions, the following points arose:

 Nick Burfield indicated the importance of the A14 and A1307 to Suffolk’s

economy.

 Mark Pendlington asked what the LTB could do to best make the case for

investment into the region’s trunk roads. In response David Abbott stated that

good quality evidence is being looked for, although one shouldn’t underestimate

the influence of lobbying.

 Cllr James Finch suggested that this was a long timescale, looking forward to

2025. He stated that Mildenhall Fiveways (on the A11) was important. He said

that there were currently problems at this junction and asked how often Highways

England looked at priorities. David Abbott said in response that RIS2 was largely

for major schemes. Where there are problems, including of safety, they have

separate funding streams that could be used for shorter-term measures.

 Paul Davey asked about the National Infrastructure Commission, and the

relationship between this, the National Infrastructure Plan and RIS2. In response,

David Abbott stated that there was a close relationship.

5. Governance: Directions of Travel

Neeraj Kaushal gave an overview of how transport governance across the country

was shaping up, particularly in respect of Sub National Local Transport Bodies

(SNLTBs). He summarised the department’s work with Transport for the North and

some of the governance issues and initiatives. On SNLTBs he outlined that

government saw perhaps five to seven across the country.

In discussions, Cllr Guy McGregor raised the recent meeting that had taken place

including with Essex and Hertfordshire.

6. Integrated Transport Strategy

Tig Armstrong gave an overview of progress with the transport strategy the Board

has been working on. He outlined how it was important to cover a wider area, and

that the work should look long-term. Tig said that, to help this long-term look, some

work looking at modelling economic scenarios would be commissioned. It would be

important as part of the work to consider the economic benefits of transport.

Paul Davey asked if a date should be set for creation of an SNTB, and how this

might look given the involvement of Cambridgeshire with the Economic Heartland

proposition. Neeraj Kaushal stated that places could be a member of one SNTB

only, but could be a sub-member of more than one.

It was agreed for the next meeting of the Board:

 To invite David Brown, Chief Executive of Transport for the North

 A timetable for moving towards an SNTB

 Guidance on what its geography might look like

 To arrange visit to Transport for the North

 To seek a political sponsor for a SNTB for the East.

ACTION: Tig Armstrong

Chris Soule asked whether a briefing could be done on the new government Cabinet

members. Chris Starkie agreed to circulate a briefing he was doing for the LEP

Board.

ACTION: Chris Starkie

7. Growth Deal

This had been covered under Item 3, and so was not discussed further.

8. Transport and Infrastructure Updates

Richard Pace outlined that the Regional Air Connectivity Fund has been put on hold.

This is extremely important for Norwich International Airport to build regional routes.

He also stated that the Air Passenger Duty could be a driver for the strategy.

ACTION: Letter from Board in support of APD (Draft from Richard Pace)

Jamie Burles stated that - in the absence of any new franchise appointment - it was

business as usual. Investment is continuing with the completion of the refurbishment

of the Inter City rolling stock. This stock is now the most reliable Inter City stock in

the country.

ACTION: GEML Task Force to meet train operator following award of franchise

Richard Schofield summarised that the programme for Control Period Six is being

put together, delayed until late 2016 / early 2017. He stated that major engineering

works will be undertaken on the GEML between autumn and Christmas, and over

the Christmas period. The line would be blocked from 25/12 to 2/1.

Richard also outlined their work on level crossings. Phase 1 consultation is done;

there were 860 representations. Phase 2 starts in September.

Justin Wythe stated that they were seeing passenger growth following their recent

frequency increases but that bus infrastructure improvements were needed in

Ipswich for further improvements to be realised.

Paul Davey asked that the Board encourage the National Infrastructure Commission

to look at the needs of this area.

It was agreed to invite the NIC to the late autumn meeting.

ACTION: NCC Secretariat

It was agreed to add updates on ports and buses to subsequent agendas.

ACTION: NCC Secretariat

Local Transport Major Schemes: NCC SCC

•

Road

•

Air

•

Rail: Jamie Burles

•

GEML campaign: Progress Report: Mark Pendlington

9. Date of next meeting

10.30-12.30 Friday 2^nd September in the Cranworth Room, County Hall,

Norwich.