Local authorities given final say on approval of Quality Contracts

Local authorities have won a key concession that will allow them to make the final decision on whether to implement a Quality Contract after a last minute amendment to the Local Transport Bill was tabled in parliament by ministers.

The government has made the move following intense lobbying by local authorities and Labour MPs representing constituencies in the metropolitan counties. Instead of any Quality Contract application being scrutinised by a board chaired by the relevant local traffic...