Local voices on local journeys: Why devolution demands better transport consultation.

By Alex George – Associate Director

With unprecedented control over budgets and strategic direction, new combined authorities now face the challenge of shaping local transport systems that reflect their area’s unique needs.

Strategies must not only be aspirational and forward-thinking, but technically sound and democratically informed, with communities given a genuine voice in shaping the systems they rely on.

But in a world of competing community priorities, building interest and encouraging meaningful involvement in ambitious transport planning presents a unique challenge for combined authorities.

Through our work with Transport for the North, Midlands Connect, Cardiff Capital Region, and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to deliver transport planning that is inclusive, strategic, and community led, we’ve learnt that to combat these challenges and enable meaningful engagement, it is critical to:

Build a narrative: Transport planning is at risk of appearing dry or unimportant. So, translate technical plans into a narrative that captures interest and resonates with the public. Transport impacts us all, the way we connect with local spaces and our attitudes to travel – and it will affect future generations.

Drive confidence: Too often, ambitious projects fall through or face delays, creating scepticism of long-term authority-led ambitions. Build confidence in the ambitions, supporting the community to buy into and co-create a deliverable vision for their area.

Balance agendas: Constituent local authorities and regional stakeholders can have competing interests and political priorities. Stakeholder engagement must be broad to align a transport plan that meets the area’s collective needs.

Inspire change: In a changing world, with greater focus on sustainability, regional transport plans must be built for the future, not for now. Plans must inspire enthusiasm and encourage modal shift in a varied and changing cultural and political landscape.

We put this into practice for Cardiff Capital Region’s first Regional Transport Plan. Covering a diverse, bilingual population across 10 urban and rural local authorities, our multi-channel campaign reached more than 700,000 individuals across South East Wales.

Having transformed detailed transport plans into relatable and plain language ambitions, we launched a 12-week community engagement programme with a targeted approach for the full spectrum of stakeholders from commuters and business owners to young people and underrepresented communities. We engaged over 600 local organisations and generated 435 detailed consultation responses, with our approach ensuring stakeholders understood the importance of transport planning to their daily lives.

As devolution continues to shape UK’s governance, combined authorities must embrace meaningful community engagement to genuinely inform decision-making, and to unlock the full potential of their transport budgets.

If your authority is preparing to take on new transport responsibilities, we can help strengthen your consultation capabilities, ensuring your transport budget delivers maximum value for your region, its visitors and the people who call it home.

September 2025

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