Presentation - Mark Wilson, Tees Valley Combined Authority

The Head of Transport, Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) gave a PowerPoint Presentation on the Tees Valley Strategic Transport Plan (STP) which was currently being developed to support the delivery of the Strategic Economic Plan for the Tees Valley.

Reference was made to Transport for the North (TfN), a unique partnership, established in 2014, comprised of four development partners, eleven Local Enterprise Partners and nineteen Local Government partners.  TfN was working to develop a strategic northern transport strategy to improve connectivity between economic centres in the north and provide a blueprint for building the Northern Powerhouse.

Details were provided of the Strategic Transport Plan (STP) Components and the TVCA Transport Framework for the rail, road, bus, cycle and pedestrian networks together with improvements for freight and access to Durham Tees Valley Airport.

Particular reference was made to the visions and emerging strategies to connect the Tees Valley; key challenges that had been encountered; and to the interventions and funding that had been secured to deliver the strategies.

Members were informed that approval for the STP would be sought at the TVCA Cabinet scheduled for 31 January 2019 and that a consultation exercise would then be undertaken closing in May 2019.

Clarification was sought on why bus travel alone was a vision and the other forms of transport a strategy and whether the powers of the new Act overcame some of the current constraints.

In relation to increasing the rail network relative to Darlington, Members were advised that whilst it was expensive to build railways and stations, Darlington needed more platforms and the bottle neck of services crossing the East Coast Main Line needed to be cleared.

It was also confirmed that there was unlikely to be an increase in rural bus services but the best service possible would be sought.

RESOLVED – (a) That the thinks of this Scrutiny Committee be extended to The Head of Transport for his informative presentation.

(b) That the Head of Transport be invited to a future meeting of this Scrutiny Committee prior to the consultation exercise scheduled to be held in May 2019