Powerful new transport body set up

WARRINGTON Borough Council has joined forces with two neighbouring councils to set up a powerful new decision-making body to oversee the area’s future investment in transport.
The Cheshire and Warrington Local Transport Body (CWLTB) has the power to invest in schemes that support economic growth and regeneration across the area.
The new body, made up of Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Warrington Borough Council, has been given devolved decision-making powers by the Department for Transport.
CWLTB is a publicly-accountable body with a single strategic objective: “To improve transport infrastructure to secure significant connectivity gains in the support of economic growth and prosperity”.
The first meeting of the new body will take place in public on Thursday May 23 at Congleton Town Hall at 3.30pm.
It is estimated that the Cheshire and Warrington area will need more than a billion pounds’ worth of investment over the next 20-30 years to meet the sustainable needs of its communities.
Funding for the CWLTB will be drawn from the public and private sectors.
The Department for Transport has already committed £21.8m for the period 2015/16 to 2018/19, the details of which will be officially announced next month.
This represents an initial pot of funding with the three councils working together to attract further investment.
Cllr Linda Dirir (pictured), Warrington’s executive member for highways, transportation and climate change, said: “This development will make sure that Warrington Borough Council and its partners are in the best possible position to manage the millions of pounds’ worth of transport investment due to our region during coming years.
“The Cheshire and Warrington Local Transport Board will work closely with the Government, the Highways Agency and Network Rail, to help them to bring forward projects from their own investment programmes that could greatly benefit the area.
“Improved local transport means connecting better, so it’s easier for people to access jobs and leisure opportunities and it’s easier for businesses to communicate. Having a better transport infrastructure will also help give businesses more confidence in investing in the area. It’s all part of making Warrington a better place to live, work and invest, and reinforcing Warrington’s status as a major driver of growth in the North West.”
One of the main roles of CWLTB will be to create a strategic transport policy and a transport connectivity and infrastructure plan to cover all forms of transport. To achieve its strategic and wider objectives, the CWLTB will also develop an integrated transport investment programme of capital projects for the sub region.
There will be a pooled transport investment fund, and the CWLTB will work with economic development teams to identify other funding sources, including private sector funding contributions and investments.
The new body will have the power to approve schemes, release funding and scrutinise individual schemes for consideration.