Public Transport Consortium - annual report to LGA Board 2024

Lead Member: Cllr Alexander Nicoll
Lead Officer: John Pope

Email: [email protected]
Address: 45 Sycamore Road, East Leake, Loughborough Leics LE12 6PP
Telephone: 07757 944689
Website: Publictransportconsortium.org.uk

• Bath & North East Somerset
• Blackpool Council
• Brighton & Hove Council
• Bristol City Council
• Buckinghamshire Council
• Cheshire East Council
• Cheshire West & Chester Council
• Devon County Council
• Durham Council
• East Sussex Council
• Essex County Council
• Gloucestershire County Council
• Halton Council
• Hampshire County Council
• Hertfordshire Council
• Kent County Council
• Lancashire County Council
• Lincolnshire County Council
• Luton Borough Council
• Norfolk County Council
• Nottinghamshire County Council
• Somerset County Council
• South Gloucestershire
• Staffordshire County Council
• Suffolk County Council
• Surrey County Council
• Thurrock Council
• Warwickshire County Council
• WECA

The Consortium aims to:

• act as a forum for discussion and promotion of public transport issues affecting local authorities outside metropolitan areas;
• promote the exchange of experience and good practice between member authorities and in liaison with other bodies;
• advise appropriate committees or other executive bodies of the LGA on public transport issues; 
• represent interests of member authorities to Government, the Local Government Association, operators and other organisations involved in public transport; and
• provide advice and guidance to member authorities concerning Passenger Transport policy and operations

The Consortium is in regular contact with transport officers at the LGA. We endeavour to ensure that we feedback the point of view of the Consortium members, but support the view of the LGA (Parts 2 & 3).

We actively promote LGA events to our members.

Theme 2: we support our members in improving local transport networks.

Theme 4: We aim to provide our members with information which will help them to develop more environmentally sustainable transport networks.

In 2024 – 25 we aim to be more aware of the LGA business plan.

Hosted five plenary and three executive meetings: most held virtually, but the Annual General Meeting was held as a hybrid meeting, with attendees at 18 Smith Square as well as via MS Teams. 

Annual study tour – members visited Hampshire County Council, who provided the opportunity to experience the Eclipse Rapid Transit between Fareham and Gosport who also hosted the Plenary meeting which included a discussion on development of their Enhanced Partnership. 

Liaised with Department for Transport Officers and LGA Officers.

Provided members with the opportunity to consider the following topics at Plenary meetings:

Why the National Rail Network Matters - (Discussion hosted by Jim Steer, Non-Executive Director & Founder, Steer Group)

Transport Focus Research - (Discussion hosted by David Sidebottom & Natasha Grice, Transport Focus)

Coventry Electric Bus City - (Discussion hosted by Dharel Patel, UK Head of Environment & Sustainability, National Express)

Department for Transport work on the Bus Reform Tean, Bus centre of Excellence, Bus Funding & DfT Rail Group (Discussion hosted by Carl Sutcliffe, DfT)