THE British government has launched the new Mass Transit Taskforce, bringing together the public transport and financial sectors with academia in order to produce recommendations for delivering light rail and other transit projects more quickly and efficiently.

The new group will identify the major obstacles to introducing mass transit systems, and will propose practical reforms to planning, financing and delivery models, drawing on best practice from around the world. The taskforce is led by Bridget Rosewell, an economist and senior adviser at Volterra Partners, and its other members will include:

  • David Milner, managing director, Create Streets
  • Richard de Cani, chief officer for global business and markets at Arup, and
  • Jason Prince, director of the Urban Transport Group (UTG).

UTG, which represents the transport authorities for the city regions of Britain, will provide the secretariat for the taskforce. Evidence is now being gathered for the taskforce to produce its first targeted recommendations in six months’ time.

Light rail projects in major cities such as Leeds, Liverpool and Bristol have failed to progress beyond the planning stage due to a number of factors, which according to the government include the process of obtaining planning permission, fragmented funding arrangements and difficulties in acquiring land.

In the field of planning, the government is consulting on proposed measures to devolve additional powers to mayors, enabling them to approve at local level the Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) that is needed to build a light rail project. At present, TWAO applications are considered at national level by the Department for Transport (DfT).

“The government’s new Mass Transit Taskforce will bring additional expertise as we look at the best potential routes for mass transit in our region to move people around more quickly,” says Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England.

“For too long, big transport projects outside London have felt harder than they need to be,” says Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region. “It’s really encouraging to see government taking practical steps to help unblock delivery and put more power in the hands of local leaders.”

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