Issue - meetings

To consider and approve TfN’s submission to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee: to receive further advice on the implications of the IRP.

Lead: Tim Foster

5.1          Members received the report from the Strategy and Programme Director.

5.2          The Chair informed Members that the Department had published the day before a document setting out the technical evidence that it had used in determining the IRP.   

5.3          The Chief Executive highlighted to the Board that he was proposing an additional recommendation to the report that would confirm his authority to use his delegated powers to enable an orderly transition on those areas of work identified as needing to transfer to the Department for Transport.  He drew the Board’s attention to the fact that he would be engaging with the Department to ensure the roles and rights of staff affected by the transition are protected: this would be secured through the application of TUPE.  He also highlighted that he had received a request from the Department for two secondments and that he was progressing those with a view to enabling them to happen.

5.4          He restated the point made at the previous meeting that the Department has been clear throughout the process that Transport for the North’s role and functions as a statutory Subnational Transport Authority are not affected by the change in NPR working arrangements.

5.5          Before outlining the key points within the report, the Strategy and Programme Director gave Members his initial views on the technical annex released by the DfT.  He explained that the information that had been provided was less detailed than had been anticipated and that TfN would be requesting the Department to confirm whether there is more technical detail that can be shared for a full assessment to take place. 

He explained that the information in the technical evidence had not taken into account the wider economic and social aspects of the investment.  He advised that a more substantive assessment of the technical annex evidence would be provided to Board in March. 

5.6          The Chair asked Members to focus their comments on the draft submission to the Transport Select Committee, a draft of which had been included in the papers and which needed to be submitted in the next couple of days.  She expressed her disappointment at the lack of detail in the information that the DfT had provided and highlighted the fact that the Board’s advice has always been evidence driven.

5.7          Members echoed the disappointment of the Chair at the lack of detail in the information that had been released by the DfT.  A common concern was that decisions had been narrowly focused on costs and that wider considerations of economic, social and environmental benefits had not been taken into account:  Board members observed that this seem to be a missed opportunity given the context of the forthcoming Levelling Up White Paper.  

5.8          Members suggested a number of additions that would strengthen the submission to the Select Committee. The Board stressed the importance of focusing on the need for additional capacity, to accommodate additional demand (both passenger and freight).  On this issue Cllr Hale specifically raised the importance of electrification  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5