English Regional Transport Bodies

The are currently eight sub-national (or regional) transport bodies in England.  Outside London their membership is formed from a mix of local highways authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), local airports, Highways England, Network Rail and Department for Transport.  They also work closely with Chambers of Commerce and other business interests.  While they are normally led by local authority leaders, there is very little input, if any, from the voluntary or social and environmental sectors.

England's Economic Heartland

Area covered: Bedford, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Luton, Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Peterborough and Swindon

Leadership Team: Bedford Borough Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, Luton Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Milton Keynes Council, North Northamptonshire Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Swindon Borough Council, North Northamptonshire Council and LEPs: Oxfordshire, South East Midlands, Buckinghamshire Thames Valley, Swindon and Wiltshire, Hertfordshire

Lead / hosting authority: Buckinghamshire County Council

Statutory Status: Shadow body

Transport Strategy: Adopted its strategy in February 2021

More information can be found on our dedicated page.

Midlands Connect

Area covered: Birmingham, Coventry, Derby, Derbyshire, Dudley, Herefordshire, Leicester, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Sandwell, Shropshire, Solihull, Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent, Telford & Wrekin, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire

Strategic board members: Wolverhampton City Council, Staffordshire County Council, Worcestershire County Council, Nottingham City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, The Marches LEP, Stoke on Trent & Staffordshire Enterprise Partnership, East Midlands Airport, HS2 Ltd, Network Rail, Highways England, Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP, Derbyshire County Council, DfT, West Midlands Combined Authority, Transport for the West Midlands

Lead / hosting authority: West Midlands Combined Authority

Statutory Status: Shadow body

Transport Strategy: Strategic Transport Plan published March 2022.

More information about Midlands Connect can be found on our dedicated page.

Peninsula Transport

Area covered: Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay

Board members: All local highways authorities - Co-opted members: Isles of Scilly Council, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP, Heart of South West LEP, Network Rail, Highways England, DfT, Stakeholder Forum, Western Gateway

Lead / hosting authority: Plymouth City Council

Statutory Status: Shadow body

Transport Strategy: None at present

More information about Peninsula Transport can be found on our dedicated page. 

Transport East

Area covered: Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock

Forum* members: Essex County Council, Norfolk County Council, Suffolk County Council, Southend on Sea Borough Council, Thurrock Council, 1 district council rep from each of the three counties, New Anglia LEP, South East LEP, Essex Chamber of Commerce, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, Highways England, Network Rail

Lead / hosting authority: Suffolk County Council

Statutory Status: Shadow body

Transport Strategy: Published its Transport Strategy in February 2023

More information about Transport East can be found on our dedicated page.

*Forum - this term is used by other transport bodies to represent a broader stakeholder group. It is more of a board here.

Transport for London

Area covered: Greater London

Board: Appointed by Mayor of London

Parent authority: Greater London Authority

Statutory Status: Statutory body

Transport Strategy: The Mayor's Transport Strategy

More information about the Transport for London can be found on our dedicated page.

Transport for the North

Area covered: Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester, Cumbria, Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Hull, Lancashire, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, Sheffield, Tees Valley, Warrington, York

Note: Strategic Rail which is part of Transport for the North covers an area that extends into the Midlands Connect area so there are some authorities with a foot in both sub-national transport bodies.

Statutory Status: Statutory body

Board: Independent chairman, all the local highways authorities, except Liverpool and Sheffield which are represented by their city region mayors, former Rail North Authorities (Strategic Rail): Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire County Councils, Nottingham City Council and Stoke on Trent City Council, LEPs: Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Hull and Humber, Lancashire, Leeds City Region, Liverpool City Region, North East, York North Yorkshire and East Riding, Sheffield City Region, Tees Valley, Network Rail, Highways England, HS2 Ltd

Statutory Status: since 2018

Transport Strategy: Strategic Transport Plan

More information about Transport for the North can be found on our dedicated page.

Transport for the South East

Area covered: Berkshire Local Transport Body, Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Medway, Portsmouth, Southampton, Surrey, West Sussex

Board: East Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex County Councils, Brighton & Hove City Council, Isle of Wight Council, Medway Council, Portsmouth City Council, Reading Borough Council, Southampton City Council, TfSE Transport Forum, Enterprise M3 LEP, Coast to Capital LEP, Protected landscapes representative, 2 district council representatives, Network Rail, Highways England

Lead / hosting authority: East Sussex County Council

Statutory Status: Shadow body

Transport Strategy: Adopted its strategy in June 2020.

More information about Transport for the South East can be found on our dedicated page.

Western Gateway

Area covered: Bath and North East Somerset, BCP Council (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole), Bristol, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

Board: All the local highways authorities, West of England Combined Authority, Network Rail, Highways England, DfT

Lead / hosting authority: Gloucestershire County Council

Statutory Status: Shadow body

Transport Strategy: Adopted a short term transport strategy in December 2020.

More information about Western Gateway can be found on our dedicated page.