The Department for Transport (DfT) has written to metro mayors of the seven city regions eligible for a share of the £5.7bn City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements.
The funding settlement letters confirm the money outlined in the 2021 Spending Review and cover a five-year period of 2022-2027.
Official plans for the funding are yet to be announced for the regions, but it is intended to support the delivery of more resilient, connected transport networks and provide opportunities for cheaper fares, cycling schemes and multimodal travel.
Across the public sector, there is significant focus being given to improving bus networks and bringing them under public control, as well as encouraging greater cycling adoption – supporting this with appropriate infrastructure.
Network resiliency will also be targeted by the funding, solving long-running challenges for local authorities such as potholes and climate resistance.
The city regions to receive funding settlement letters were:
- Greater Manchester (£1.07bn)
- Liverpool City Region (£710m)
- South Yorkshire (£570m)
- Tees Valley (£310m)
- West of England (£540m)
- West Midlands (£1.05bn)
- West Yorkshire (£830m)
The North East was the eighth city region eligible for funding under the plans laid out in the 2021 Spending Review and will be permitted to work with government to agree a funding settlement from the CRSTS programme once the appropriate government arrangements are in place.
In Greater Manchester, this funding will equate to more than £1bn and will help deliver mayor Andy Burnham’s ambitious ‘Bee Network’ vision for transport in the region.
This will include the closer connecting of bus, tram and wider transport networks across the Greater Manchester region.
The Greater Manchester mayor is also seeking to bring the city region’s bus network under public control. A judge ruled in favour of Burnham’s plans in March after a legal challenge by two of the bus operators, with an appeal having been lodged by one.
Funding for the Liverpool City region was earmarked at £710m over the five year period, while the West Midlands is to receive over £1bn as well.
When proposed investments are to impact on or interact with strategic national rail or road projects, such as projects involving Highways England, further approval must be obtained from the Department for Transport.
