Note about the Local Transport Plan (LTP) Block Formula Project Group report

Explanatory note about the local transport plan (LTP) block formula project group report.

1. The report of this group has been produced to advise DfT about technical issues associated with the introduction of a formula within the allocation of the integrated transport block funding, which is part of the local transport capital settlement for English transport and highway authorities outside London. The terms of reference of the project group are included in the report.
2. The report represents the general consensus of the advice offered by the group - it does not necessarily represent the exact views of any individual group member or the Department for Transport's position. The local authority officers were on the group to provide advice on behalf of all authorities (or particular types of authority) and not to cover issues specific to their own authorities.
3. Local authorities should use the provisional planning guidelines (published in December 2004 by the Department) to inform their provisional second local transport plans, due for completion in July 2005. They should not seek to infer any planning guidelines from the attached report.
4. The Department is considering the advice offered by the project group, as it develops proposals for final planning guidelines for the final second local transport plans (due for submission in March 2006). It is also considering further technical issues, including in relation to congestion and accessibility. Subject to the satisfactory completion of the development work, the Department proposes to consult local authorities about a formulaic representation of transport pressures during 2005. The Department will then issue the final planning guidelines in late 2005.