TPS Chair attends Transport for the South East Transport Forum

The TPS Chair, Stephen Bennett, has attended the Transport for the South East (TfSE) Transport Forum.  Stephen provides an expert view from the transport planning profession on the developing plans for transport in the south east.

TfSE is sub-national transport body focussed on driving sustainable economic growth.  It is working closely with national Government on the transport needs for the region and intends to submit a proposal to become a statutory body later in 2020.  Its purpose is to provide one voice for the transport needs of people and businesses in the South East, which is home to 7.5 million people and 329,000 businesses, and includes international airports, several major ports and some of the busiest rail routes and roads in the country.  It brings together representatives of 16 transport authorities and five Local Enterprise Partnerships.

The Transport Forum is an advisory group bringing together representatives of a wider group of stakeholders including user groups, transport owners and operators, business groups, environmental groups and delivery partners.  It meets quarterly and provides expertise, intelligence and advice to the Senior Officer Group and the Partnership Board. Membership of the Transport Forum is by invitation only and is reviewed regularly with partners.

TfSE is currently at a key stage in its development; the draft Transport Strategy for the region has been through a consultation process which ended in January 2020.  The thirty-year strategy sets out a vision for transforming travel in the region, improving people’s lives, protecting and enhancing the environment and helping the economy to grow.  The latest Transport Forum meeting discussed the consultation feedback and final amendments to the Strategy so it can be put to a Partnership Board meeting for final approval and publication.

Stephen Bennett said, “It is a privilege to be invited to join the TfSE Transport Forum and I will aim to provide an expert view from the transport planning profession to help guide the Transport Strategy and its further development, working with the TfSE team and the other experts on the Forum.  The draft Strategy is a progressive document, focusing on a Plan and Provide (rather than Predict and Provide) approach, and putting planning for People and Places before planning for Vehicles.  We very much support this approach at TPS and look forward to helping guide this Strategy through the next phases of development and delivery.”.

The draft Transport Strategy and supporting documents can be found on the TfSE website here.  If any TPS members have any comments or contributions regarding the Transport Strategy or other TfSE issues then please let us know at info@tps.org.uk.