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England's Economic Heartland's leadership on improving bus journeys in the region was recognised during our second Bus Symposium in Northampton last week.

Delegates and speakers included local leaders and officers, operators, innovators and industry experts. Local transport minister Simon Lightwood recorded a video address for symposium (see below), while the Department for Transport's director for buses and inclusion, Stephen Fidler, provided valuable insight into the government's approach to bus travel. He added that EEH is 'really up there' for its continued focus on improving bus journeys across the region.

Throughout the day a common theme was the need for approaches which recognise the region's geography of relatively small cities, market towns and large rural population.

Attendees were updated on EEH's major programme of work on bus, including on network and delivery models; 'Total Transport'; the 'Heartbeat network; journey planning; and ensuring East West Rail has strong 'door-to-door' connectivity (find out more about our work in the Delivering Better Buses brochure produced for the event). Several of our partners, including West Northamptonshire, Luton and Hertfordshire, shared their successes with the symposium.

The economic case for bus was highlighted by consultants KPMG, while Phil Southall, Chair of EEH's Bus Operators' Group, provided the perspective of bus companies, highlighting the paramount importance of delivering reliable journey times.

The discussions during the event will inform EEH's continuing programme of work during 2025, to be agreed by the Strategic Transport Leadership Board in December.

The symposium came as government consults on its plans to open up franchising to all local transport authorities.

In its response, EEH said it welcomes the ability for all LTAs to be able to franchise. However, it is unlikely that franchising will be applicable or adopted by many of our partners. Therefore, there is also a need to strengthen other delivery models and the role of enhanced partnerships in delivering these to give local transport authorities a suite of options to manage buses in their area.

The response stresses the need for bus funding, regardless of model. Given the unequal bus service improvement plan funding, local authorities are not all at the same starting point.

The response also puts forward the concept of lighter-touch ‘shadow franchising’ to be considered by the Government.

Cllr Katie Thornburrow has been elected the new Chair of the East West Main Line Partnership at its annual general meeting in Milton Keynes on Thursday (17 October).

The Cambridge City Council Executive Councillor for Planning, Building Control and Infrastructure, succeeds Cllr Steven Broadbent, of Buckinghamshire Council, who had served his full three-year term in the role.

The partnership, for which England's Economic Heartland provides the secretariat, brings together local authorities and sub-national transport bodies stretching from Norfolk and Suffolk through to the west of England. Founded in 1995 by Ipswich Borough Council, it made the original business case for East West Rail. Today, it champions the strategic ambition for East West Rail, including its delivery in full to Aylesbury and coast-to-coast connectivity to Norwich, Ipswich and Bristol. Board members also ensure Government and East West Railway Company understand the needs of local communities and businesses during the planning, construction and operation of the scheme.

Cllr Thornburrow said: "East West Rail is an exciting opportunity for the whole region, connecting communities and businesses to jobs, skills and services. It will be a key element in building our internationally important knowledge industries, particularly in the life sciences, digital and advanced engineering sectors, and helping them flourish. It will give people the freedom to travel sustainably by rail within the region and across the UK - and perhaps even further.

"I am looking forward to working with Board members to realise our shared ambitions for the project. I’d like to thank Steven Broadbent for his excellent chairmanship of the Partnership over the last few years, during which we played a leading role in securing continued government backing for the scheme.

"There is a busy and exciting period ahead. We await the East West Railway Company’s consultation on the plans between Bletchley and Cambridge, while the first East West Rail services between Oxford and Milton Keynes will open next year. I’m keen that the lessons learnt from its construction and operation inform its next stages. We must also ensure that East West Rail benefits as many people and businesses as possible through acting as a catalyst for improving connectivity to and from its stations. And of course, the Partnership continues its work to ensure East West Rail is delivered in full, including the Aylesbury link, and to realise a coast to coast main line to Norwich, Ipswich and Bristol."

Cllr Broadbent became chair of what was then the East West Rail Consortium in 2021, and oversaw its relaunch as the East West Main Line Partnership. In 2022, the Partnership highlighted the strong business voice for East West Rail in its report, Building Better Connections, which was key to securing renewed commitment to the scheme from Government.

He told the meeting: "I'm immensely proud of the work we've done together over the last three years and want to say thank you to all the members of the Partnership who've helped us be as impactful as possible."

Together with our other STB partners in the wider south east region, Transport East and Transport for the South East, we have established the Wider South East Freight Forum.

The forum aims to:

> Promote a better understanding and partnership working between freight and logistics operators, business representatives and public sector.

> Share good practice, knowledge, expertise and advice between the members across the wider geographical area.

> Facilitate collaborative working to resolve common issues and drive action towards shared goals.

For more information see our web page: https://www.englandseconomicheartland.com/our-work/wider-south-east-freight-forum/

England's Economic Heartland's Naomi Green took to the 'Big Thinking Stage' at the Highways UK conference earlier this week to join a panel discussion on 'what a mission-driven government means for roads'. The session, moderated by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association's Marie-Claude Hemming, included Elliot Shaw from National Highways and Steve Gooding from the RAC Foundation, alongside colleagues from other sub-national transport bodies.

Also in attendance at Highways UK was Cllr Phil Bibby, Executive Member for Highways and Transport at Hertfordshire County Council, who joined a panel discussion on how local authorities can unlock innovation and deliver for communities with limited resource.

EEH's Connecting Economies brochures provide an accessible compendium of both evidence and asks to government, which England’s Economic Heartland, its local and combined authority partners, MPs, private sector and others can use to make the case for improved connectivity and infrastructure investment in our region.

The corridors featured in the brochures, which are largely based on the geographies of our connectivity studies, are:

Peterborough-Northampton-Oxford

EEH South (Buckinghamshire/Central Bedfordshire/ Luton/ Hertfordshire)

Northampton-Buckinghamshire-Thames Valley

Swindon-Didcot-Oxford

Milton Keynes

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

As part of our centre of excellence offer, we are committed to sharing opportunities for free learning and development from across the transport sector – here’s some upcoming sessions we’ve spotted:

See below for opportunities in the region

Senior Project Manager, Cambridgeshire County Council, Closing: 31/10/24

Newsletter produced by England's Economic Heartland sub-national transport body, based at Buckinghamshire Council, Walton Street, Aylesbury. Email businessunit@englandseconomicheartland.com for general enquiries.