Agenda item

            The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Environment which provided an update on the current status  of the Liverpool City Region Transport Governance Review and the development of the Liverpool City Region Multi Area Agreement (MAA), Transport Platform.

            The Board was advised that the Local Transport Act (LTA) was given Royal Assent on the 26^th November 2008 and subsequently became the Local Transport Act 2008. It was noted that the Act was a co-ordinating and enabling Act designed to provide additional powers relating to buses, transport governance and delivery and Road User Charging (RUC).

            It was reported that on the 9^th February 2009, the existing six Passenger Transport Authorities (PTA) in England, were re-named Integrated Transport Authorities (ITA). Once such PTA was Merseytravel and the responsibilities that the ITA immediately assumed were detailed in the report for consideration.

            It was reported that the ITA could also work with local authorities to put forward proposals to Government to extend its boundaries, extend its influence over the highway network (subject to Governance review), extend its powers over the local heavy rail network and change its name.

            It was further advised that a draft Governance study which was appended to the report had been developed by the Transport Working Group (TWG)  and it was intended that this would be issued to Transport Consultants Atkins when all necessary approvals were in place. The study would be concluded in three stages details of which were outlined in the report.

            It was noted that work already completed by the Transport Working Group had identified 7 possible options (the Discussion Model which were also detailed in the report. It was advised that there was a very strong emphasis on wide stakeholder involvement within the process and it would need particularly strong Member engagement.

            The Board was notified of issues concerning governance of the LCR which were actively under consideration. It was reported that to help inform this process and with advice from the Department of Transport (DfT) the TWG had proposed that the Merseyside authorities and Halton would work together to produce a joint Local Transport Plan (LTP3) to ensure that transport issues across the LCR were effectively and efficiently addressed. Members were recommended to note that the Transport Working Group intended to explore the issues and potential for preparing a Joint Local Transport Plan in the future with any final recommendation being brought back to Members for their consideration.

            It was further reported that a LCR Multi Area Agreement (MAA) was in preparation which would create a framework within which the six city region local authorities, Merseytravel government and its agencies and other partners could co-operate to deliver improved economic performance. The Board was advised of the first stage of the MAA incorporating the “Story of Place” and Employment and Skills Platform had been agreed and was now being developed to include Housing, Economic development Transport Platforms. The Transport Platform of the MAA, Platform 4 – “Transport for a Growing City Region”, had the overall aim which was detailed in the report.

            The Board was informed that some very helpful discussions had been held with GONW in developing the MAA and there had been some key messages over and above the previous guideline not to seek additional funding or to promote particular schemes which were set out in the report.

            It was further advised that the MAA proposals were designed to integrate the key LCR priorities with responsibilities for delivering the shared national transport priorities. In addition the proposals would help to deliver against appropriate Public Service Agreements (PSA) target and would link with Local Area Agreements (LAA) to help deliver their transport targets.

            Members were advised that the Transport Platform of the MAA was still in the development stage and it was intended for it to be incorporated into the full LCR MAA in early summer. It was noted that the key components of the document were “Asks” of the Government which, if agreed, would enable barriers to the implementation of transport strategies to be addressed. The current proposed Asks were detailed in the report in addition to a package which outlined what the proposals would deliver. It was further advised that GONW had commented positively on the draft Transport Platform but had suggested a number of areas that required improvement. Members were notified that these comments were now in the process of being addressed and would inform the next draft of the MAA.

            RESOLVED: That

1)     the proposal to engage transport consultants Atkins to carry out the study on the Liverpool City Region Transport Governance be endorsed;

2)     Members endorse the intention of the Transport Working Group to explore the potential for producing a joint Local Transport Plan for Merseyside and Halton i.e. the Liverpool City Region; and

3)     work to continue to develop the draft Liverpool City Region MAA; Platform 4 – “Transport for a Growing City Region” and the “Asks” of Government contained therein, be endorsed.