Morning, Tuesday, 25th November 2025
Online
This conference will consider the future for local transport and connectivity in England’s regions, as combined authorities develop strategies and implement plans under new devolved powers.
It will bring together key stakeholders and policymakers to examine practical challenges and strategic opportunities for regional transport expansion and connectivity. The conference takes place in the context of the Chancellor of the Exchequer committing £15.6bn through the Transport for City Regions settlements for towns, cities and regions outside London, and with the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill currently progressing through Parliament.
Discussion will also look at how funding and governance frameworks can work effectively for areas beyond the major combined authorities, including the South West, East of England, and South East, as well as rural and coastal communities.
Policy, funding & new urban mass transit guidance
The agenda includes a focus on latest strategic and operational developments in the North of England and the Midlands, following funding allocations for mass transit systems, including £2.5bn for extending Greater Manchester’s Metrolink, £2.4bn for West Midlands tram expansion, and £2.1bn to initiate West Yorkshire's Mass Transit programme by 2028.
Sessions will consider implications of recent guidance on tram-train integration from the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board for the future deployment of tram-train systems to improve urban connectivity. Delegates will also discuss the integration of light rail with other transport modes, financial sustainability, and the alignment of regional transport plans with local economic and environmental goals. There will also be consideration of priorities for regions where light rail is not feasible.
Discussion will examine funding models, service integration, and infrastructure management to support growth and economic development, with reference to the forthcoming Integrated National Transport Strategy and Railways Bill. Equity in funding distribution across different types of regions will also be assessed.
Sustainable public transport & active travel
Attendees will consider devolved powers under proposals in the Bus Services Bill and English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, focusing on implications for local authority responsibility for service provision. They will also review oversight of Key Route Networks, ownership models of bus services, and how bus services may be integrated into other public transport and active travel strategies.
Consideration will be given to local authority capacity for funding and management, and how transport services can be maintained during local government reorganisation, as well as in areas selected for the Devolution Priority Programme. Discussion will also look at how rural and coastal authorities can meet connectivity challenges where conventional mass transit is not viable.
Infrastructure, oversight & key challenges
Further sessions will address cross-border coordination and integration of nationally significant rail infrastructure into regional transport strategies, in light of ongoing projects such as East West Rail and the Midlands Rail Hub, as well as other inter-regional corridors.
Attendees will consider resilience of public transport systems in the context of changing travel patterns, environmental pressures, evolving standards in planning and regulation, and the development of effective data collection. Passenger experience - reliability, affordability, accessibility, and public confidence - will also be considered.
How transport systems can be integrated with strategies for housing and infrastructure will also be assessed, in supporting accessibility, mobility, and alignment with growth priorities, including the role of public transport in labour mobility, skills access, and productivity across English regions.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy and governance:
- local decision-making and governance capacity - linking devolution to rail and light rail coordination - potential implications of the Railways Bill
- equitable treatment of regions with different transport profiles
- devolved funding models:
- aligning regional budgets with strategic transport goals - funding gaps and long-term financial pressures - impact of Green Book reforms on funding allocations
- options for financial sustainability and service integration, and management of infrastructure to support growth and economic development
- addressing the balance between major metro investments and support for rural bus and community transport
- network integration:
- connecting light rail with other transport modes and ensuring seamless journeys
- priorities for regions where light rail is not feasible, including enhanced bus networks, mobility hubs, and flexible demand-responsive services
- operational and technical coordination within wider local and national systems
- system resilience and expansion:
- ensuring reliability and public confidence amid changes in travel behaviour and environmental pressures
- evolving standards in planning and regulation - effective data collection to inform decision-making and sustainable transport initiatives
- regulation and standards:
- assessing evolving safety frameworks - approaches to easing concerns over compliance burdens - coordinating local innovation with national requirements
- planning and evidence:
- strategies for attracting investment - best practice in use of evidence to guide delivery and monitor outcomes
- stakeholder roles and collaboration:
- supporting regional and local leadership - accounting for operator and passenger needs - coordination across government and transport bodies
- community engagement and legitimacy in areas undergoing service reform
- environmental and economic outcomes:
- net zero goals - modal shift and emissions reduction - translating better connectivity into local growth
- improving connectivity to growth clusters and Industrial Strategy Zones - strengthening links between smaller towns and regional economic hubs
- inter-regional priorities:
- South West mainline upgrades - East Anglia connectivity - links across the South Coast and Thames Valley
- accessibility and growth:
- public transport’s role in supporting labour mobility, skills access, and productivity across all English regions
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; Department for Transport; Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, NI; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; Department of Infrastructure, NI; and the Climate Change Committee.
