Midlands Connect is set for a major governance overhaul, with regional mayors and council leaders taking greater control of the organisation's strategic direction from April 2027.
The move marks a significant shift for the transport partnership, which has spent more than a decade bringing together political leaders from across the Midlands to champion infrastructure investment and improve transport connectivity across the region.
Previously sponsored by the Department for Transport (DfT), Midlands Connect will transition to a new mayoral and leader-led model designed to strengthen regional ownership of transport priorities as devolution and local government reorganisation continue to transform England's political landscape.
Under the new arrangements, West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker will become Chair of Midlands Connect, while East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward will serve as Vice-Chair.
The revised structure is intended to provide a stronger, unified voice for the Midlands when engaging with government and national stakeholders. Midlands Connect will focus on identifying strategic transport priorities, supporting investment opportunities, sharing technical expertise and addressing cross-boundary challenges that affect communities and businesses across the region.
Richard Parker, West Midlands Mayor said:
"Devolution is about taking greater responsibility for our own future, and that must include having a strong combined voice on the transport infrastructure and investment decisions that will shape the Midlands for decades to come.
"Mayors and local leaders will be firmly in the driving seat. By working together, we’re securing investment, creating opportunities, and making regional collaboration deliver real results for our towns and cities."
East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward added:
"Devolution gives us a real opportunity to shape our future rather than simply respond to decisions made elsewhere. But we will have the greatest influence when we speak with a clear and shared ambition for the Midlands.
"This next chapter provides an important platform for Mayors and leaders to come together around our shared strategic transport goals, using our collective influence to ensure the Midlands’ priorities are understood nationally and shape the decisions that will support jobs, growth and opportunity across the region."
Work on the new governance structure is already progressing, with mayors and local authority leaders helping to shape priorities and collaboration arrangements ahead of the official launch in April 2027.
The partnership will comprise:
- West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)
- East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA)
- Leicestershire County Council
- Leicester City Council
- Rutland County Council
- Worcestershire County Council
- Warwickshire County Council
- Staffordshire County Council
- Stoke-on-Trent City Council
- Telford & Wrekin Council
- Shropshire Council
- Herefordshire Council
The changes are designed to build on more than ten years of collaborative working, giving local leaders greater ownership of the Midlands' transport agenda and strengthening the region's case for future infrastructure investment.
A formal launch of the new Midlands Connect is expected in 2027.
Image credit: iStock
