1.0 Foreword from Will Quince, Chair of Transport East
I am excited and proud to have been appointed the Chair of Transport East, in what is going to be an important year for the region.
During my time as a local MP, I’ve seen how Transport East has grown in impact and value. I am looking forward to being able to use my skills and knowledge to accelerate the partnership’s success during my term as Chair.
My thanks go to Cllr Kevin Bentley, out-going Chair and Leader of Essex County Council, whose vision in establishing Transport East, and energy in guiding the organisation since 2018 has provided me with firm foundations to build on.
In a General Election year, focus always turns to the future and is an ideal time to join together to amplify the case for the East. We are in a great position to support partners in this work. The region now has an over-arching Transport Strategy, signed-off last year by the Secretary of State for Transport and which must be given ‘due regard’ in policy and funding decisions. Commitments last year on major rail and road schemes show this is already having an impact.
Our regional Transport Strategy sets out unique priorities for the East:
- Net-zero transport by 2040 for a greener, healthier future
- Connecting our growing towns and cities
- Energising our coastal and rural communities
- Unlocking our global gateways
Our vision is of a thriving Eastern region with safe, efficient and net zero transport
networks advancing a future of inclusive and sustainable growth for decades to come.
To achieve this, Transport East has been focussed on building a comprehensive evidence-base, with up-to-date insight and new tools, to strengthen the case and advocacy for investment into the region.
This Business Plan sets out how we will continue delivering against those strategic priorities, using the final portion of our £2.46m in government funding allocated over the last 3 years, to become a centre of excellence for the region.
This year, we will complete our evidence building phase and start updating our Strategic Investment Programme. Placing the East in the best place to advocate for the essential transport investment our communities need to live, work and grow sustainably.
I look forward to working with you all this year to accelerate progress on transport for a thriving East.
1.1 Foreword from Andrew Summers, Chief Executive
As Transport East moves into the last year of the first 3-year settlement it received from Government it is an ideal opportunity to assess our progress and look to the future.
Over the last two years we’ve:
- Set the future direction of transport for the region through the Transport Strategy
- Advised government on the key priorities for transport in the East
- Established a single voice for the region on transport issues
- Increased the capacity and capability of our partners
- Influenced funding and policy decisions to the benefiting the East, and;
- Strengthened the region’s evidence to drive better decisions on transport
- Raised the importance of rural transport up the political agenda.
This has also been within the context of a changing policy and funding environment. While the macro-economic environment has stablised, funding availability remains challenging. We remain focused on ensuring our work strengthens the region’s case for investment in the short and long-term to make sure the region’s network is fit for the future – net-zero, inclusive and integrated.
The Department for Transport has increasingly looked to Sub-national Transport Bodies to support the capacity and capability of our local authority partners. Our programme to enhance data, insight and tools to support our authorities will be expanded to maximise value over this financial year.
This Business Plan sets out how we will fulfil these core roles by:
- Becoming a regional Centre of Excellence– expanding our capacity, capability and tools for better decisions and to add value to our partners delivering locally
- Planning the next generation of transport investment – developing the evidence and new solutions to meet our Transport Strategy goals
- Accelerating the delivery of the region’s transport priorities – make it quicker and easier to develop, fund and secure approval for our transport priorities
- Building our ‘Single Voice’ for transport in the East – collaborating across the region to amplify the East’s voice with decision makers.
Our success relies on the support of our partners and the wider expertise of many organisations who are committed to improving sustainable transport.
We commit to working closely with you all this year, strengthening our role and voice on behalf of the region for the long-term, to ensure transport in the East supports the region’s bold aspirations.
2.0 Vision and Purpose
2.1 What is Transport East?
Transport East is one of the seven Sub-national Transport Bodies (STB) that together cover all of England outside London. STBs were established through the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act (2016) to provide a single voice for transport for their sub-national areas.
Across England, STBs bring leadership on strategic transport, recognising that local partners working together are best placed to identify regional priorities.
Transport East is an independent partnership, comprising local authorities, Chambers of Commerce and other partners across Essex, Norfolk, Southend, Suffolk and Thurrock. Our partnership is the single voice for transport investment in the Eastern region.
2.2 Our Vision
We want transport in the East to be better.
Better for people, better for businesses, better for communities and better for our environment.
We work with our members and partners to achieve this. We have set a clear direction for the future of transport in the East in our Transport Strategy which will now be given ‘due regard’ by the Department of Transport. We have also identified investment priorities in our Strategic Investment Programme.
We provide a regional centre of excellence for strategic transport planning. Expanding the capacity and capability of the region through evidence, insight and tools to help partners develop and make the case for new investment that meets the Strategy goals and the region’s wider objectives.
Each year we set out how we will work to meet the Transport Strategy goals and the region’s wider objectives through this Business Plan.
2.3 Our Priorities
A thriving Eastern region with safe, efficient and net-zero transport networks advancing a future of inclusive and sustainable growth for decades to come.
2.4 Our Role
Our four strategic priorities have been set out in our Transport Strategy:
- Decarbonisation to net-zero
- Connecting our growing towns and cities
- Energising our coastal and rural communities
- Unlocking our global gateways
2.5 Wider STB environment
In 2021 Transport East received an initial £2.73m three-year indicative settlement from the Department for Transport. This allowed us to set our first 3-year business plan committed to growing the organisation and increasing our value and influence. We are now in our final year of this funding settlement and have achieved a great deal of what we originally committed to.
However, due to the national financial constraints within government, we received 10% less than indicated in DfT funding over this period. We bolstered this with bids for additional DfT funding at the end of 2021-22 and by partnering with others for specific pieces of work.
The environment STBs operate in and the role they undertake has also developed over the last 2 years, with government increasingly looking to STBs to support local authority capacity and capability within their regions. To achieve this, we have increased the evidence, tools and insight available to our local authority partners.
National stakeholders are also increasingly looking to STBs to set vision and direction, innovate in the transport planning and policy space and see us as valuable thought-leaders.
As we come into the last year of our first 3-year plan it is right we use this year to focus on the activities that will add the most value to the region.
2.6 Government requirements
The Department for Transport has set out core areas for STBs to fulfil, stemming from the Cities and Local Government Devolution Action 2016:
- Develop, maintain and implement a regional Transport Strategy
- Provide advice to government on the region’s transport priorities
- Be a Centre of Excellence for the region, supporting local authority capacity and capability; especially in:
- Business case development
- Pipeline of future schemes
- Reducing the environmental impact of transport
- Supporting Local Transport Plans
Our Business Plan for 2024-25 sets out how Transport East will meet these requirements.
2.7 Looking forward
This financial year is a bridge to 2025/26 and beyond. A year in which the partnership will seek to grow our value and outputs; and strengthen our role, single voice and influence.
We will develop our plan for the next 3-5 years, setting out how we can support our local authorities, new government and wider partners to deliver better transport for everyone across the East.
3.0 Building on Success from 2023/24
Regional Transport Strategy approved by government
Enhanced tools and evidence
- BERTIE – new regional people-focused transport model
- EV:Ready and Electric Vehicle Insights Study
- Keeping Trade on Track: case for Ely/Haughley
- Evidence for regional road investment
Government funding committed to regional road and rail priorities
Led the East’s single voice at over 20 national events
Advocated for the East at political events
- Keeping Trade on Track Launch
- Roads Briefing to Transport Minister
- 10 x meetings at Party Conferences
- East of England APPG
- Transport Select Committee submissions and oral evidence
Launched Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence
- Influenced DfT’s Future of Transport: Rural plan
- Published ‘Rural Connections’ advising government and local partners
Brought the region together at Forums, workshops, webinars and events
4.0 National and Regional context
4.1 National context
Like others in the region, Transport East is operating in a changing environment. Last year saw changes in policy direction, and high inflation having an impact on funding and project costs. Following the General Election, we now have a new Government with new priorities to understand and build influence with.
This provides an opportunity for Transport East partners to set out clearly the needs of the region to inform the new Government’s thinking and priorities. Our ongoing engagement with DfT policy teams helps the region navigate this shifting national landscape.
Infrastructure planning
Rail and road investment planning continues to be a key focus this year. The Department for Transport are due to publish the Road Investment Strategy 3 (2025-2030), following advice from National Highways. We have been engaging with National Highways consistently throughout the process, making the case for investment in the East, but it is clear the funding environment is constrained and investment identified will need to meet multiple objectives.
The legislative process to establish Great British Railways (GBR) started at the end of last year and is currently due to continue throughout 2024/25, subject to the ambitions of the new Government. We formally responded to the Transport Select Committee’s scrutiny process providing written and oral evidence.
This new body will set the strategic direction for both infrastructure and services, with the customer at the heart – both passengers and freight. We brought the GBR Transition Team, who are building the new organisation, into our partnership early on alongside Network Rail, to maximise the influence we have on the future direction of the rail network.
We have joined with neighbouring STBs, England’s Economic Heartland and Transport for the South East, to create a Wider South East Rail Partnership to increase our joint voice on strategic rail issues. Our Rail Plan activity this year will be instrumental in enhancing our impact as the industry develops.
Feedback from these delivery bodies is that by working with us, they get a clear sense of regional priorities based on strong evidence. This is genuinely influencing their strategies and plans.
Department for Transport and STBs
It is clear the DfT is also seeing increased value from us, and the wider STB community. The department is keen to see us increase the capacity and capability of our regional partners both individually and collaboratively – becoming regional centres of excellence for transport strategy, planning and insight.
The increased collaboration between STBs is also reaping benefits. Transport networks do not stop at STB boundaries and the STBs face similar challenges. Joint working over the last two years has reduced costs, added value and increased outputs. Our Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence has been a focal point for joint STB work within this policy space, to the benefit of rural communities across England. We are also able to learn from more mature STBs and access other resources, accelerating our own growth.
4.2 Regional context
The picture in the region is also shifting and Transport East needs to continually respond to maximise our value to our partners.
Devolution
Last year, both Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council agreed in-principle deals with government for increased powers and funding control known as ‘County Deals’. These discussions have continued with government and locally through public consultations.
The proposals include increased powers and funding for integrated transport. We are working with all our local transport authorities to inform how we can best support them should the County Deals progress.
Local Authority challenges
Funding constraints continue to impact local authorities with several forced to decrease funds for non-statutory areas within their organisations, including transport. Despite inflation stablising nationally, the knock-on effects are still being felt within the supply chain, especially for construction projects.
We have joined the voices making the case for longer-term, stable funding for local authorities for both transport capital investment, service support and maintenance.
We are also supporting local authorities with tools, evidence and resources to enhance their own capacity and capability, and support their Local Transport Plans. We are also taking the lead in some strategic transport areas including rail and freight to reduce pressure on local authority resources.
We will continue to work closely with local authorities this year to enhance their own capacity and capabilities to maximise effectiveness.
4.3 Enhanced role of Transport East
To make sure we continue to support our regional partners as the national and local transport environment changes, we started discussions to explore the how we can enhance the role of Transport East, particularly how we formally strengthen our position and influence on behalf of the partnership.
This work will continue this year and will inform future business plans. It will allow us to respond positively and with confidence to the new direction from government.
Issues we are considering through this work include:
- Identifying where we can improve efficiency, better integrate, speed delivery and reduce cost of transport
- Enhancing our accountability to partners
- Increasing the influence and impact the region has with government and national bodies
- Supporting deeper regional devolution, while avoiding duplication with the existing functions of our local authorities
- Continuing to enhance the capacity and capability of our local authorities and add value to their work
5.0 How we Work
5.1 Our Structure
We are governed by the Transport East Board, our principal decision-making forum. It agrees our core plans and strategies. It is Chaired independently, following a competitive recruitment process, and comprises transport portfolio holders from the five transport authorities and three elected members representing the three county groups of district authorities.
Business interests are represented by the regions Chambers of Commerce. The Board also includes observer partners who provide advice and support for our work, including the Department for Transport (DfT), Network Rail, National Highways, the UK Innovation Corridor, neighbouring local authorities and STBs.
All meeting dates, papers, agendas and minutes are available at www.transporteast.gov.uk
5.2 The Senior Officer Group
The work programme is overseen by the Transport East Senior Officers Group (TESOG). The TESOG comprises officers from all transport authorities, district representatives, National Highways, Network Rail, East of England Local Government Association, UK Innovation Corridor and the DfT.
The strategic direction, work programme, and day-to-day management of Transport East is led by the Business Unit. Suffolk County Council hosts the Business Unit and is the accountable body for all grant funding from the DfT.
5.3 Our Wider Partnership
Our wider partnership panel includes a wide range of operators, businesses, interest groups and neighbouring regions.
The wider partnership come together at our Transport Summit, and through regular engagement opportunities to shape the direction of our work.
Our thematic taskforces are one such mechanism for wider partner involvement.
5.4 Our funding and value for money
Transport East’s work is funded locally and through an annually agreed allocation from the Department for Transport. Our five transport authorities and 24 district authorities provide an annual subscription which for 2024/25 totals £269,842.
The DfT grant for 2024/25 totals £944,000. See section 6 for more detail.
5.5 Transport East Partnership Structure
The Wider Partnership Panel works with the Transport East Board
Wider Partnership Panel
- All districts
- Ports
- Airports
- Freight bodies
- TOCs/FOCs
- Transport for London
- Growth partnerships
- Transport organisations
Environment organisations - Representative bodies
- Others
Members of the Board includes: 5 transport authorities, 3 district representatives (one for each county group) and 3 Chambers of Commerce
The Board is support by:
Business Unit - Dedicated staff team for Transport East:
-
-
- Chief Executive
- Head of Strategy & Technical Programme
- Head of External Affairs
- Regional Rural Mobility Manager
- Principal Strategic Transport Planner
- Communications & Projects Officer x 2
- Regional Business Manager
-
Senior Officers Group - Officers from partners supporting and advising the Forum and Transport East Business Unit.
TE working groups - Thematic groups to inform technical work areas and advocacy programme.
Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence
Transport East Strategy Hub
Observer Bodies
- Neighbouring authorities and STBs
- UK Innovation Corridor
- Network Rail
- National Highways
6.0 Strategic Plan: up to 2025
6.1 Overview
We developed our three-year corporate plan in 2021-22 through engagement with our partners, the Transport East Board, the Senior Officers Group and the Department for Transport.
It sets a direction to guide our annual Business Plan and our annual reporting will track our progress against this three-year Corporate Plan.
Over the last two years we have made a step-change in the East’s capacity and capability, adding value to the region. This is despite lower levels of funding than were originally set out in our initial indicative funding settlement from government and a changing remit.
We have also been working to mature the corporate activity of Transport East, with improved governance and operational functions and started planning to strengthen the partnership for the long-term in support of the region’s ambitions.
The following section explains the four work areas of the three-year Corporate Plan in more detail.
By 2025, we will have:
1. Become a transport Centre of Excellence for the region by supporting:
- Enhanced capacity & capability for partners
- Established ‘Next Generation’ strategic analytical capability
- Led the Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence
2. Planned the next generation of transport projects
- Completed Strategic Connectivity studies
- Planned the next generation of transport investment
- Led transport policy changes in the East
3. Accelerated delivery of our transport projects in the East
- An investment pipeline for the East
- Reviewed and enhanced funding mechanisms
- Enhanced evidence for Business Case development
4. With our ‘Single Voice’ put the East’s transport priorities on the UK map
- Formal partnerships with national bodies to steer investment
- Regional Task Forces for our transport priorities
- A communications and engagement programme amplifying our single voice
6.2 Progress in the three-year plan
2024/25 represents the final year of the initial 3-year plan for Transport East submitted to the Comprehensive Spending Review 2022.
This year’s Business Plan must:
- Complete the programme of activity comprising the 2022/23-204/25 package of work and
- Set the foundations for Transport East’s next long-term plan and a strengthened role on behalf of our partners
How we progressed bewteen 2022-24
Be a transport Centre of Excellence for the region:
-
- Rural Centre of Excellence launched
- Rural Connections report
- Call-off contract established
- Travel Behaviour survey
- Mobile phone data commissioned
By 2025, Transport East Centre of Excellence launched.
Plan the next generation of transport projects:
- Strategic Investment Programme
- BERTIE Model
- EV tools and guidance
- Connectivity studies initiated
- State of Rail report and short-term priorities
By 2025, Suite of Connectivity Studies to be completed.
Accelerate delivery of transport projects in the East:
- Roads prioritisation and advice to government
- Formal agreements with National Highways and Network Rail
- Keeping Trade on Track advocacy campaign for Ely/ Haughley
- Strategic advice to Ministers on Rural transport
By 2025, Strategic Investment Programme updated
Single Voice – put the East’s transport priorities on UK map:
- Transport Strategy approved by region & Secretary of State for Transport
- Regional Governance and influencing structures matured
- National / Parliamentary advocacy programme established
- Expanded communications programmes to grow awareness, understanding, trust & influence
By 2025, Long term plan for enhanced role of Transport East to deliver for partners and, East’s priorities well understood by new Government
6.3 Be a transport Centre of Excellence for the region
What does this mean?
Transport East to be a highly effective STB partnership for the East and respected nationally. To provide capability, capacity, co-ordination and influence to deliver the Transport Strategy and add value to our Local Authority partners.
Establish a knowledge centre for valuable regional insight and analysis with new tools and data to support our local authorities, national government and infrastructure delivery bodies to make evidence-led decisions, and drive better value for investment.
What does it look like?
- A Transport East team with capacity, capability and unique skillsets to deliver and manage a scaled-up work programme on behalf of the East, closely integrated with our partners.
- A mature partnership governance and work programme that directly supports the strategic transport needs of all our Local Transport Authorities, districts and other partners, transport operators, businesses and the public, working closely with neighbouring regions.
- A clear direction for Transport East beyond this funding period (2024/25) aligned with greater regional devolution and national policy direction.
- Next generation strategic regional analytical capability easily accessed by local authority partners
What have we done already?
- Expanded the team with new capacity and capability increasing our technical, communications and engagement expertise.
- Undertaken an Independent Review to inform the future direction of Transport East considering a changing devolution environment
- Established the Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence, and launched the Rural Connections report, providing enhanced regional insight and recommendations to government on rural issues and an increasingly important national voice for rural transport challenges and solutions
- Established a call-off contract with ARUP and Steer to expand the expertise available easily and better value to local authority partners.
- Developed a Carbon Assessment Playbook in collaboration with the other STBs to give a national tool for transport decarbonisation planning
What are we doing in 2024-25?
- Expanding Transport East’s analytical capability
- Establish a digital platform to allow partners enhanced access to existing tools, data, dashboards and reports
- Extend the work of the Rural Centre of Excellence including continuing with the partnership with the University of Hertfordshire and researching how transport can support younger people to access education, training and jobs
- Continue our contribution to the joint STB-developed Carbon Assessment Playbook, helping our local authorities understand the best pathway to transport decarbonisation
6.4 Plan the next generation of transport projects
What does this mean?
Identify the next generation of strategic programmes and projects to deliver our priorities set out in our Transport Strategy and the wider objectives of our partners.
The updated Strategic Investment Programme will reflect major and transformative developments in the region and underpinned by an enhanced regional evidence base and a compelling case for investment.
What does it look like?
- An evidence-led regional Transport Strategy agreed by Local Transport Authorities and approved by government.
- Regional Connectivity Studies identifying priority corridors and areas for investment
- Detailed understanding of regional transport challenges and opportunities to inform future priorities, funding bids and Local Transport Plans including; active travel, rail, bus, alternative fuels and freight
- Lead response to policy challenges in the East – by establishing a new Strategy Hub formed of expert commissioners to take evidence from the region and make recommendations to Transport East
What have we done already?
- Developed BERTIE, a new people-focused transport model for the region that allows us and partners to test new policies and interventions in a more integrated way
- Completed phases 1 and 2 of our Rail plan – the ‘State of Rail in the East’ report setting out current opportunities and challenges and the short-term priorities
- Identified the investment in EV infrastructure needed across the region to meet forecast demand and assessed how the region is progressing against those forecasts 2-years on
- Initiated Connectivity Studies to understand movement patterns across the region, now and in the future, and allowing priority areas for investment to be identified.
- Set a clear direction for Active Travel investment in the East, and assessed how the region is progressing against those goals
- Invested in mobile phone travel data across the region to better assess travel behaviour
- Undertaken the first regional Travel Behaviour Survey to provide up to date evidence about the journeys people are making, the reason for them and perceptions around health, environment and financial motivators for changing behaviour
- Undertaken an analysis of the infrastructure needed to support alternative fuels for freight, with other STBs
What are we doing in 2024-25?
- Preparing to update our Strategic Investment Programme by bringing all our model and analysis work together
- Completing the Connectivity Studies including specific work on market towns and coastal communities
- Extended analysis to potentially include using BERTIE to test future scenarios, or improve LTA data access, or improve prioritisation of investment
- Specific work on alternative fuels beyond EVs with a focus on Hydrogen to provide insight on the potential role and pathway for the East
6.5 Accelerated delivery of our transport projects in the East
What does this mean?
A transport investment pipeline for the East, prioritising investment for government and delivery bodies, accelerating business cases for our priority projects.
What does it look like?
- Develop and manage a Strategic Investment Programme for the East directly informing priorities for DfT, National Highways and Network Rail, enabling better co-ordination of investment to maximising opportunities and outcomes
- Better evidence for business case development, and increased capability and capacity to support partners to identify, initiate and accelerate transport business cases. This means future priorities have a better chance of progressing through higher quality submissions, consistent with DfT appraisal
- Shared resource to tackle strategic challenges through increased shared capability for LTAs, districts and partners to tackle or troubleshoot strategic transport issues and challenges where there is benefit of joining together.
- Escalation of joint issues into government and infrastructure delivery bodies to speed resolution
What have we done already?
- Created the Strategic Investment Programme for the region assessed against our Transport Strategy priorities
- Advised Ministers of our strategic and major road priorities, resulting in funding commitments within Network North
- Reinvigorated the pan-regional campaign for the Ely and Haughley junction rail upgrades
- Advised National Highways on the development of Route Strategies and Road Investment Strategy 3 priorities
- Established a regular meeting between CEO of National Highways and the TE Forum members to allow priorities and issues to be heard directly
- Worked with Network Rail to strengthen evidence for interventions on the rail network
What are we doing in 2024-25?
- Rail will be an area of focus for this year due to the emerging changing structures coming forward with the Rail Reform Bill:
- Rail Case for Investment with a focus on the role of rail in integrated transport, to include a High Level Output Specification (HLOS) for the East
- East West Rail Eastern Section – Economic Case, setting out an enhanced strategic narrative for connections east of Cambridge, onwards to Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester and our coastal communtities
- Enhance rail governance and influence in the region through line and area Taskforces, our Rail Leadership Group and the Wider South East Rail Partnership
- Assess the region’s readiness for integrated ticketing programme and assess the potential for the East to use the national delivery system being developed by authorities in the Midlands and DfT
- Regional level baseline Key Performance Indicators to assess progress against the Transport Strategy goals and priorities, aligned with KPIs in Local Transport Plans
- Programme of activities to support bids from members, escalate and resolve issues, and share knowledge and insight across the region.
6.6 A Single Voice – put the East’s transport priorities on the UK map
What does this mean?
A loud, sustained and credible Single Voice to government, bringing together our local Authorities, Chambers of Commerce, Businesses and MPs, with our strategic transport priorities embedded within the investment planning of government and transport delivery bodies.
What does it look like?
- Formalised partnerships with delivery bodies and strategic partners in the East and beyond to embed our strategic priorities, to ensure the East has directly influenced future investment including RIS3 (2025 to 2030), RNEP, CP7 (2024 to 2029) and other DfT and major transport investment body’s investment programmes.
- Strategic Task Forces to deliver strategic priorities – including Modal Shift, Active Travel, Passenger Transport, Electric Vehicles, Decarbonisation and Rail.
- Public affairs programme to provide clear messages to government and parliamentarians, aligned with regional partners
- Communications strategy and resource to build awareness, understanding and trust across relevant audiences
What have we done already?
- Worked with multiple regional partners to amplify the voice of the East and its investment needs
- Met Transport and other Ministers to advocate for investment in the East
- Given evidence on behalf of the East at the Transport Select Committee on Rail Reform and rural transport
- Established Strategic Taskforces to inform, guide and deliver priorities – including rail, passenger transport, active travel, and rural mobility.
- Formalised partnerships and established regular senior meetings with delivery bodies to influence decision-making
- Become a strategic transport adviser to the East of England All-Party Parliamentary Group
- Initiated and supported specific campaigns on rail and road priorities, local government funding for transport, buses and supported specific funding bids from our partners
- Established a presence at Party Conferences on behalf of our members
- Held over a hundred meetings, workshops and events across the region to align our Single Voice.
- Spoken on behalf of the region at national events to demonstrate the successes and ongoing needs of transport in the East
- Expanded and delivered a programme of communications across brand, digital and social media.
What are we doing in 2024-25?
Advocacy work this year will be focused on building relationships with the new political representation for the region and new government including:
- Supporting and advising the East of England APPG
- Re-establishing regional Taskforces including the Rail Leadership Group, GEML and Thameside
- Joining with regional partners to amplify the voice of the East
- Coordination of a submission to any Spending Review
- Reigniting and supporting specific campaigns on rail and road priorities, bus and active travel funding and local authority long-term funding
- Party conference engagement
- Full programme of events including Summit, STB presence at Interchange
- Wider South-East Forums for rail and freight with England's Economic Heartland and Transport for the South East
- Full communications programme for the technical output
7.0 Our work programme 2024-25
7.1 Defining our programme
This section sets out the 2024/25 Business Plan, detailing the work programme required for the first year of our three-year corporate plan.
This year has two key focus points. Firstly, to complete building our evidence, analytical capability and tools to strengthen the case for the region’s immediate priorities with partners across the East.
Secondly, look to the future by bringing our evidence together into a clear pipeline of transport priorities to make sure the region’s network is fit for the next generations – net-zero, inclusive and integrated. This work is likely to conclude next financial year.
The plan will be funded by local contributions and the Department for Transport annual grant.
To continue our accelerated progress towards a mature Sub-national Transport Body we must keep up the pace. We will be working this year to strengthen our formal position, to increase our influence on decision-making on behalf of the region.
A first step was the appointment of our new Chair, Will Quince. We will be using the opportunity of a new Government to embed ourselves further into regional governance structures and work to secure increased longer-term funding for our ongoing work.
The programme is designed to deliver across our four work areas in the three-year plan:
1. Be a transport Centre of Excellence for the region
2. Plan the next generation of transport projects
3. Accelerated delivery of our transport projects in the East
4. A Single Voice – put the East’s transport priorities on the UK map
7.2 Be a transport Centre of Excellence for the region
| 2024/25 Business Plan item | Description of Output | Next generation of projects | Accelerating delivery | Single Voice |
| Transport East Business Unit - team of 8 |
|
|||
| Intelligence and Analytics |
|
|||
| Establish a digital Data & Insight Hub |
|
|||
| Extend the Regional Rural Mobility Centre of Excellence |
|
|||
| Management of the Strategic Transport Planning call off contract framework |
|
|||
| Carbon Assessment Playbook |
|
7.3 Plan the next generation of transport projects
| 2024/25 Business Plan item | Description of Output | Next generation of projects | Accelerating delivery | Single Voice |
| Regional Rail Plan for the East |
|
|||
| Regional Connectivity |
|
|||
| Further analytic workstream |
|
|||
| Alternative fuels |
|
7.4 Accelerated delivery of our transport projects in the East
| 2024/25 Business Plan item | Description of Output | Next generation of projects | Accelerating delivery | Single Voice |
| Rail Case for Investment |
|
|||
| Develop Key Performance Indicators to monitor and evaluate the Strategic Investment Programme |
|
|||
| Integrated ticketing |
|
7.5 A Single Voice – put the East’s transport priorities on the UK map
| 2024/25 Business Plan item | Description of Output | Next generation of projects | Accelerating delivery | Single Voice |
| Enhanced relationships with infrastructure delivery bodies |
|
|||
| Support and advise the region’s transport Taskforces and champion groups |
|
|||
| Strengthen the role of Transport East on behalf of the region to give greater influence over investment |
|
|||
| Set and deliver communications programme for 2024-25 making sure outputs reach the right audience and increase awareness, knowledge of and trust in Transport East as a strategic regional transport expert resource |
Outputs include:
|
|||
| Set and deliver engagement programme for 2024-25 to support parliamentary, political and sectoral representatives at all levels to speak with a single voice on transport investment in the East |
Outputs include:
|
7.6 Budget Summary
2024/25 Income
Subscriptions: £269,842
DfT allocation: £944,000
Third party income: £ 12,000
Total Income: £1,225,842
2024/25 Programme
Corporate: £738,124 (of which staff: £629,539)
Be a transport Centre of Excellence: £147,893
Plan the next generation of transport projects: £161,600 + notable internal staff resource
Accelerated delivery of our transport projects in the East : £99,500 + notable internal staff resource
A Single Voice – put the East's transport priorities on the UK map £43,725 + notable internal staff resource
Total: £1,190,842
Remainder budget £35,000
8.0 Funding and resources
8.1 Local contributions
The local contributions, established in 2019 and set out in the Terms of Reference, part-fund the Transport East team, all non-technical work, operations and communications activities.
It is important to maintain a local funding to ensure the ongoing growth of Transport East, ensure independence from government, and as a base to continue to leverage increased grant funding from the Department for Transport (DfT).
The current local contributions total £269,842. Following the outcome of the Independent Review we undertook in 2022, we now have a formal Memorandum of Understanding with all local authority members including a year-on-year increase.
8.2 DfT contributions
Since 2020/21, and in response to the demonstrable financial and political commitment from local partners, Transport East has also received funding from the DfT to support the delivery of our technical work programme.
The delivery of the 2024/25 business plan is reliant on the availability of DfT funding.
In 2021/22 we secured additional funding for both our own technical programme and for joint STB areas of activity. The increased collaboration between STBs has proven to add value to both the individual STBs and the DfT. We have therefore identified further priority areas for additional funding for both our own capacity and capability, and for collaborative STB activity.
8.3 Further opportunities
Transport East will continue to explore further opportunities to deliver the priorities set out in our business plan, including alternative funding sources, partnership working and commercial opportunities.
9.0 Measuring success
We will monitor the effectiveness of the work programme, using both quantitative and qualitative data, including partner feedback.
We will publish an annual report at the end of the year to report on this Business Plan.
We have developed a balanced scorecard to track our performance with measures in four categories:
- Financial
- Customer
- Process
- Impact & Growth
Performance Measures are designed to align to our core roles and priorities for 2024/25, and ensure we focus on priority behaviours and activities across the year.
Financial
| Measure | Indicator | Target |
| Good financial management (programme) | % of forecast budget spent or committed on agreed business plan outputs | 100% by 31 March 2025 |
| Good financial management (efficiency) | Reduced ratio of operational costs to income | Reduction on 2023/24 by 31 March 2025 |
| Additional income | Income received beyond core subscriptions and DfT grant | Increase on 2023/24 by 31 March 2025 |
Customer
| Measure | Indicator | Target |
| Partner awareness of Transport East and services | Number of website & social media interactions | Increase on 2023/24 |
| Partner usage of tools and services | Number of interactions/ downloads for the new CofE | New product - 2024/25 will be the baseline |
| Partner satisfaction | New satisfaction index | New measure – 2024/25 will be the baseline |
Impact and Growth
| Measure | Indicator | Target |
| Single Voice – advocacy to decision makers on region’s strategic priorities | Meetings with the right people at the right time to make the case for the East | To cover all four of Transport Strategy priorities over the year |
| Single Voice – speaking to the region & UK | Total number of people attending Transport East led events | Increase on 2023/24 |
| Future of Transport East | 2025/26 Business Plan and 3-5yr plan agreed by Board & DfT | By March 2025 |
Process
| Measure | Indicator | Target |
| Efficiency ‘value added’ by convening role | Number of regional co-ordinated events held on behalf of national bodies | Increase on 2023/24 |
| Meeting process management | Service Level achieved for core meetings* | Reduction on 2023/24 by 31 March 2025 |
| Staff development | Achievement of two development goals per staff member | 2 x 8 staff achieved by 31 March 2025 |
* Core meetings include Board, TESOG and named others. Service Level to be determined by meeting Terms of Reference