Ministers hail milestone in giving new regional transport bodies legal powers

The DfT said that plans to give regions new powers to improve transport have taken a major step forward with the publication of proposals in Parliament.

Organisations like Transport for the North and, potentially in the future, the Midlands Engine and other sub-national transport bodies, are closer to becoming statutory bodies, allowing them to advise transport ministers on investment priorities in their areas, and giving them the permanence they need to plan for the long-term.

Transport minister Andrew Jones said: "Putting bodies like the Transport for the North on a statutory footing is a vital part of our plan to re-balance the economy, giving greater emphasis to the on-going work on options for rail and road improvements."