DATA LABEL: PUBLIC

COUNCIL EXECUTIVE

SOUTH EAST OF REGIONAL TRANSPORT PARTNERSHIP

REPORT BY HEAD OF OPERATIONAL SERVICES

A. PURPOSE OF REPORT

The purpose of this report is to advise the Panel of a formal consultation by the South East of Scotland Regional Transport Partnership (SESTRAN) seeking the view of the council on a proposal for SETRAN to change to a “Model 3” Regional Transport Partnership (RTP) in accordance with the provisions of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005.

B. RECOMMENDATION

It is recommend that Council Executive should advise SESTRAN that :

1. it is premature to support the proposed change to a “Model 3” authority at this time because the case for a change has not been made; and

2. that detailed information on the benefits locally and on a regional basis of the proposed change to a “Model 3” authority should be provided to allow partnership authorities to make an informed decision.

C. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS

I Council Values Focusing on our customers' needs; being honest, open and accountable; providing equality of opportunities; developing employees; making best use of our resources; working in partnership

II Policy and Legal (including Transport (Scotland) Act 2005. Strategic Environmental SEStran would need to carry out an equality Assessment, Equality impact assessment at the appropriate stage. Issues, Health or Risk Assessment)

III Implications for Scheme of Yes. Delegated powers relating to Public Delegations to Officers Transport and roads traffic regulations would be transferred to SESTRAN

IV Impact on performance and Public transport performance indicators would performance Indicators be affected.

1

V Relevance to Single Outcome - 3 Our economy is diverse and Outcome Agreement dynamic, and West is an attractive place for doing business

Outcome – 8 We make the most efficient and effective use of resources by minimising our impact on the built and natural environment

VI Resources - (Financial, Move to Model 3 Regional Transport partnership Staffing and Property) could result in increased financial contributions to SESTRAN to deliver the transferred functions.

VII Consideration at PDSP Environment PDSP discussed and agreed the content of this report on 16 February 2017.

VIII Other consultations None

D. TERMS OF REPORT

D.1 Background

Regional Transport Authorities are statutory bodies established by the powers contained in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005. The current South East of Scotland Transport Partnership (SESTRAN) is made up of the from following local authorities:

Clackmannanshire, , , Falkirk, , , and .

The vision of SEStran is for a regional transport system that:

"Provides all citizens of South East Scotland with a genuine choice of transport which fulfils their needs and provides travel opportunities for work and leisure on a sustainable basis."

Currently SESTRAN operates as a “Model 1” Regional Transport Partnership Transport Authority and has as its base function, the requirement to produce a regional transport strategy. This strategy identifies regional priorities. SESTRAN has no statutory powers to deliver any public transport functions but does deliver a number of softer initiatives with other partners and Scottish Government such as:

 TRIPSHARE  Real Time Passenger Information systems throughout SE Scotland  One-ticket  Cycling resources and limited funding to encourage the development of the cycle network throughout the region.

The Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 (2005 Act) permits by means of an order under section 10 of this act for the transfer of powers from local authorities to the Regional Transport Partnership. “Model 2” and “Model 3” Regional Transport Partnership are possible under the transfer powers permitted by the 1985 Act.

A “Model 2” RTP starts again, with the regional transport strategy, the RTP would identify those parts of the strategy that it was to deliver and the powers that it would require to achieve that. A transfer of functions could then take place from the local authorities in the partnership to the RTP itself. This would be through secondary legislation and can only take place following consultation.

2

A “Model 3” RTP has powers to deliver all public transport functions at a regional level. This is akin to the current arrangements in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) area in west-central Scotland. However, further transfer of powers to integrate roads and public transport functions at the regional level in a way that goes further than the SPT model can be considered and can be enabled by means of an order under section 14 of the 1985 Act. Again delivery of this approach would be through secondary legislation and can only take place following consultation.

D.2 SESTRAN Proposal

At the meeting of the SESTRAN Partnership Board on 2 December 2016 the board considered the matter of SESTRAN moving to a “Model 3” RTP. The partnership board paper is a background paper to this report.

The driver for the move to a “Model 3” RTP originates from discussions held relating to the Edinburgh Region City Deal.

The partnership board also considered a paper “PTA models of organisation for regional transport governance” commissioned by SESTRAN from Professor Tom Rye of the Transport Research Institute of Napier University.

The report by professor Rye is a very high level assessment of the function and delivery performance of “Model 3” RTP, Combined Authorities (CA) and Transport for London/Continental PTA. In conclusion it states there is evidence that “Model 3” RTP deliver more transport improvements than their unitary authority and “Model 1” RTP equivalents and they can offer a wider range of ticketing, information and interchange facilities.

However, there are a number of key points identified in the report which need to be considered in the context of the broad statement above, before the council replies to SESTRAN’s Board consultation request, and determines which if any functions should transfer to a new governance model. These include;

 There is evidence that the role of historical funding improves the performance of CAs and the creation of a new “Model 3” RTP will not automatically replicate this situation;

 Overall, there is limited evidence that “Model 3” RTPs and CAs necessarily provide much better performance against outcomes than do their unitary counterparts; and

 Systematic evidence is lacking to be able to demonstrate unequivocally that they [Model 3 RTP’s] exercise their functions more efficiently and effectively, and that those functions are delivering more on outcomes, than in non PTA areas.

In summary the partnership board report is incomplete in a number of areas;

 The report to the partnership board does not discuss or quantify the merits or otherwise of the proposed change;

 The detail of functions to be transferred are not specified;

3

 The collaboration or sharing of services under section 14 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 1985 is raised but no detail of what this would involve;

 The funding arrangements for a Model 3 RTP are not discussed; and

 Neither the SESTRAN report nor Professor Rye’s paper make comment on or assessment of the current arrangements between authorities.

The Environment PDSP discussed and agreed the content of this report on 16 February 2017.

E. CONCLUSION

The proposed change to a Model 3 RTP has developed through discussions around facilitating the City Deal Project, with a view that taking a different regional approach to transport planning is more likely to deliver cross-regional improvements in public transport connectivity.

A “Model 3” RTP could offer organisational resilience in public transport coordination and planning that a number of smaller authorities, with very small numbers of staff, will find it hard to provide.

However, whilst the benefits mentioned above may be realised the range and change of functions needs to be fully identified at the very least before the change could be supported. There is insufficient detail to seek approval to anything other than the principle of a “Model 3” RTP and the most critical part of any proposal will be the detail and the financial implications of such a change.

Based on the information to date a case has not been made to support the change to a “Model 3 RTP”.

F. BACKGROUND REFERENCES

Letter 9 December from SESTRAN to West Lothian Council.

SESTRAN Partnership Board Meeting 2 December 2016. (Item 5). PTA models of organisation for regional transport governance. Transport Research Institute http://www.sestran.gov.uk/files/1482242589.pdf

None

Appendices/Attachments:

Contact Person: Jim Stewart, Development Management and Transportation Planning Manager,01506 282327, [email protected]

Jim Jack Head of Operational Services 16 February 2017

4