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England's Economic Heartland used the recent Spending Review call for evidence to ensure key messages about our Board’s priorities for investment were submitted directly to Treasury.

Building on recent Board discussions, EEH’s submission set out the huge economic potential of the region that can only be achieved if our infrastructure and connectivity priorities are realised, including delivering of East West Rail (in full), Ely Junction and investing in improved bus services. 

With its concentrations of knowledge-intensive clusters, our region is key in delivering Government’s economic growth mission. Of the seven STB regions which cover the entirety of England outside of London, EEH’s £170bn-plus economy is the fastest growing; has created more jobs over the last 20 years; has the highest exporting intensity; and highest levels of direct foreign investment.  

However, slow productivity growth means EEH is now 3% less productive (per job) than the rest of England (20 years ago, it was more productive). Carbon emissions from transport are also higher than the national average. Without investment in infrastructure, the submission made clear that there is a risk that further growth will be constrained and the region’s economic potential for the UK unrealised, while also failing to meet net zero obligations.

EEH’s submission included the following immediate priorities for the one-year Spending Review: 

East West Rail: That there is a commitment to deliver the next stages of East West Rail from Milton Keyes and Bletchley through to Bedford and Cambridge, with funding released to plan the scheme’s long-term legacy, including ensuring there is appropriate door-to-door connectivity to stations. A study should be funded examining the opportunity to utilise East West Rail as part of a wider Northampton-Old Oak Common strategic economic corridor. 

Ely Junction: Funding is released so that detailed planning for its delivery can commence. 

Bus and MRT: Funding is provided to authorities to support improvements to bus services in those areas.  A dedicated funding stream is also made available to authorities developing mass rapid transit proposals, such as those in Milton Keynes and Hertfordshire.

Roads: Money is allocated to National Highways to identify next steps for the interventions identified within its Oxford to Cambridge Roads study. 

Funding: Long term funding for local transport should be available for everywhere in the country, enabling all authorities to better plan and deliver transport improvements while removing the risk of inconsistencies in transport provision. 

Mayor Nik Johnson, Deputy Mayor Anna Smith and Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes with Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh

The Transport Secretary took a bus ride to Anglia Ruskin University Campus in Peterborough this week, where she discussed Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority's plans for local control of bus services.

It came as legislation was laid before Parliament to give all local transport authorities across England new powers to franchise bus services – powers previously limited to mayoral combined authorities.

Improving bus journeys and patronage in the region is a key action area for England's Economic Heartland, and we'll be responding to Government's consultation on the new Buses Bill.

Cllr Liz Leffman, Chair of England’s Economic Heartland, said: “We welcome the importance the new government is placing on improving bus journeys and potentially giving more powers to local authorities. This includes opening up opportunities to franchise, and we’ve already seen exciting proposals put forward for consultation by our partners at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

“In our role supporting members in our region to realise their ambitions for public transport, EEH will work with our local and combined authority partners to ensure cross-boundary opportunities for bus are fully realised.

"In the context of local government funding pressures and a region with relatively small cities, market towns and large rural populations, our local authorities will need to fully understand the implications of franchising, the costs involved and whether there will be access to additional funding to cover these.

"Flexibility of approach will be crucial. Government must learn the lessons of the past, including the uneven BSIP funding, and avoid creating a two-tier system between authorities which franchise and those which opt not to.”

England's Economic Heartland has partnered with Connected Places Catapult to support the Local Authority Transport Decarbonisation Accelerator.

The Catapult is collaborating with EEH and two local authorities to seek solutions that can help progress towards net zero objectives. The three organisations have worked with the Catapult to set challenges specific to their places.

The search is now on for small- to medium-sized (SMEs) with solutions that can address one of the three challenges:

Up to two SMEs will be selected to work collaboratively with each partner and will receive tailored business support from the Catapult. As part of this process, the SMEs will gain insights which will enable them to refine their solutions to address the place-based challenges.

SMEs have until midnight on 15 September to apply here.

Potential interventions to improve the transport system along two key corridors in the region are identified in England’s Economic Heartland’s two latest connectivity studies. 

The Thames Valley-Northampton and Southern East-West Movements (Buckinghamshire across to Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire) were produced after extensive stakeholder engagement. They have been developed in line with DfT transport appraisal guidance and provide clarity on investment opportunities which EEH and its local authority partners can now seek to progress. 

Based on the policies and principles of EEH’s transport strategy, the interventions are aimed at increasing economic growth while reducing emissions to net zero by 2050. They include measures to ensure the right traffic is on the right roads, support the uptake of EV vehicles, boost rail connectivity and increase use of active travel and public transport, while reducing the impact of freight on the environment and communities. 

The studies build on the interventions already identified in previous studies covering Oxford-Milton Keynes and Peterborough-Northampton-Oxford. 

Themes within the Thames Valley-Northampton report include: 

Thames Valley and London Connections: Improved connectivity between the Chilterns and key areas in the Thames Valley, leveraging new and improved rail connections between Aylesbury and Milton Keynes, better road connections between the M4 and M40, as well as Chiltern Main Line improvements and rail connections to Old Oak Common. 

West Coast Main Line, A5 and M1: Making best use of released rail capacity from the construction of new lines, alongside delivery of sustainable transport connections along the corridor. 

Northampton-Brackley-Aylesbury: Improved bus services and intermodal connectivity enhancements between Northampton and Aylesbury, including centres such as Winslow, Buckingham, Brackley, and Bicester. 

Themes within the Southern East-West Movements connectivity study include: 

Hemel Hempstead-St Albans-Stansted: Facilitation of the Hertfordshire Essex Rapid Transit (HERT) scheme and associated projects and connectivity benefits. 

Aylesbury-Luton-Stevenage: Enhanced interurban connectivity centred on significantly improved bus connectivity and expansion of the Luton-Dunstable Busway services. 

Amersham-Watford-St Albans: Enhanced urban connectivity centred on provision of new rail and improved bus connectivity. 

When tested using a strategic land use model the packages of interventions resulted in an increased use of rail, bus and active travel in their respective study areas.  

The connectivity studies were agreed by England’s Economic Heartland’s Strategic Transport Leadership Board in July. EEH’s final connectivity study, Luton-Bedford-Corby, is due to go before the Board in December.