Sub-national Transport Bodies were established as part of the Cities and Local Government Act 2016. Our role is to guide and advise government on our regional transport priorities and investment by producing and then maintaining a regional transport strategy. Our work is aimed at enhancing strategic cross-boundary connectivity and complements the work of our local authorities to enhance local connectivity.

Peninsula Transport is funded by both the Department for Transport and contributions from each member local authority: Cornwall Council, Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council, Somerset Council and Torbay Council. The STB produces a business plan each year which is approved by the Peninsula Transport Board and submitted to the Department for Transport.

The strategy will be used to guide regional transport investment decisions until 2050. It sets out four outcomes and a route map to achieving a strategic transport network that works for everyone – from businesses to communities and visitors.

It will be the foundation of a Strategic Investment Plan which will identify and prioritise transport schemes and projects that reflect national and regional policies and best meet the needs of the user. The transport strategy does not replace Local Transport Plans developed by local authorities to enhance local transport.

We consulted on and finalised our vision, which also set out a series of high-level goals for the STB to take forward, in 2021. Since then, we have produced our comprehensive evidence base to create a strong understanding of how the peninsula works and what will bring the biggest benefits to the region. The recommendations and priorities identified in individual pieces of technical work were brought together to define the four key outcomes and develop a route map to achieving a better strategic transport network.

The strategy has also been shaped by public engagement including work with our partners, stakeholders, businesses and communities to ensure it meets the diverse range of needs of those travelling within the peninsula. Our full suite of technical works can be accessed on our website.

A Strategic Investment Plan, setting out the key priority schemes, will be developed once the transport strategy has been adopted and based upon the four key outcomes.

 The strategy will require cross-organisational support in order to achieve the identified outcomes. The STB’s role will be to bring relevant bodies together, champion the peninsula’s needs and provide the vital link between national, regional and local policy.

Peninsula Transport will:

• Advocate – the transport needs of the peninsula based on all the evidence we have.
• Prioritise – the strategy highlights the four areas we think we need to focus on in the region.
• Facilitate – bring together all those with a role in delivering the improvements we all want to see.

Peninsula Transport is not a statutory decision making or funding body, and therefore the transport strategy is not a decision making or funding strategy. It is intended to outline long term regional transport outcomes to help guide government investment decisions into infrastructure and services.

The transport strategy along with our evidence base will be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that it remains aligned with national policies and the priorities of our local authorities.  The strategy will determine the action plan for STB activities over coming months and years.

In the short to medium term (by 2030) the desired outcomes are:

• Easier journeys: integrating walking and wheeling with the bus and rail network, to make getting around without a car easy.
• Going electric: affordable zero-emission transport through a reliable electric vehicle charging network.
• A connected peninsula: safe, reliable and resilient road and rail travel within the peninsula and beyond. 

These outcomes will ultimately lead to the key objective of:

• Completing the network: improved connections within a growing and fully integrated transport network on a path to net-zero.

The strategy has been developed with a view to reducing environmental impact, also a key aim for the Department for Transport. All local authorities represented by Peninsula Transport have declared climate emergencies and as an STB, we are working towards net zero by 2050.

Looking ahead, a Strategic Environmental Assessment will be carried out to assess the Strategic Investment Plan against local environmental policies, restrictions and designations as it is developed.

A Strategic Investment Plan will be developed once the transport strategy has been adopted.

The investment plan will identify and prioritise the ongoing or planned strategic schemes and interventions for the STB area. These interventions are gathered from a variety of sources, including: the individual Peninsula Transport evidence base, local authority policy documents such as Bus Service Improvement Plans and Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, Network Rail corridor studies and the Levelling Up Fund, Major Road Network and Large Local Major Roads schemes.

The transport strategy does not replace Local Transport Plans developed by local authorities to enhance and guide transport in their areas. Local authorities are also responsible for maintenance issues such as potholes. For further support relating to local transport please use one of the following:

• Cornwall Council: www.cornwall.gov.uk
• Devon County Council: www.devon.gov.uk
• Plymouth City Council: www.plymouth.gov.uk
• Somerset Council: www.somerset.gov.uk
• Torbay Council: www.torbay.gov.uk

Let us know what you think about the strategy to help us to reflect your needs best, before it is finalised. An investment plan will then be developed to support the final strategy – so it’s important we have your views. The consultation is available between 11 December 2023 – 5 February 2024. 

Once the consultation closes, we will take the time to review and analyse all the responses, using the feedback to finalise the Peninsula Transport Strategy. The final draft of the Peninsula Transport Strategy will then be submitted to the Peninsula Transport Board to approve its adoption.

If adopted, we expect to publish the final strategy in March 2024. It will then be used to develop the Strategic Investment Plan and we will work with government, industry and local authorities to deliver its aims for the peninsula.