British cities need greater control over transport planning, funding and infrastructure delivery to improve their transport networks, according to a new report from Centre for Cities. The report, titled *License to build: Delivering urban transport infrastructure through devolution*, compares Britain’s record with France, which has built around 420 kilometres of tram and light rail since 2010—more than the 350 kilometres in Britain’s existing networks.
The report highlights Leeds as an example of the difficulties facing UK cities. The city has made 11 unsuccessful attempts to secure a tram or trolleybus network over almost four decades. More recent proposals for bus rapid transit and a West Yorkshire metro also failed to gain government approval.
Centre for Cities identifies four areas for reform: stronger powers for mayors, a more predictable planning system, greater local financial independence and more capacity within mayoral strategic authorities. It argues that planning processes with clearer rules and less discretion could reduce uncertainty and help prevent projects from running late or over budget.
The report points to delays in the approval process for transport schemes. An application for a Transport and Works Act order for the West Midlands Metro extension to Birmingham Eastside took three years and ran to 6,000 pages, excluding supplementary documents. The extension of Greater Manchester’s Metrolink to Trafford Park took two years to secure government approval.
In contrast, France’s national tram design guidelines and established pipeline of projects allow local authorities to draw on existing approaches rather than develop each scheme from scratch. The report also cites France’s payroll tax, versement transport, as a way for cities to raise dedicated funds for public transport.
Among its recommendations, the report says British mayors should be allowed to borrow against locally retained tax revenues, including business rates, while remaining subject to national borrowing safeguards. It also suggests working more closely with the National Wealth Fund to share financial risks and build local financial management expertise.
The report draws on other European examples, including Italy’s national cost and pricing schedules and Germany’s infrastructure delivery handbook. It also calls for increased funding through the Mayoral Capacity Fund until 2028/29, as well as national light rail design standards and guidance on alternative delivery models.
Sources: Cities Today.