England's Economic Heartland's Draft Transport Strategy sets out a bold new approach to connectivity which will enable the region's transport system to support a green recovery from COVID-19 and sustainable economic growth in the decades which follow, while reaching net zero carbon emissions no later than 2050.

The strategy is now subject to formal consultation which closes at midnight on 6 October.  You can get involved here!

The strategy includes measures to:

  • Work with the area's world-leading innovators to trial and deploy cleaner and smarter connectivity across the region
  • Champion investment in better digital connectivity to increase people's ability to work from home, reducing the need to travel
  • Maximise the potential of East West Rail and use it as the catalyst for transforming public transport across the region
  • Enhance walking and cycling infrastructure and 'shared transport' to improve local connectivity
  • Ensure the region's freight and logistics needs continue to be met, while lowering their environmental impact
  • The strategy includes an investment pipeline of the strategic transport infrastructure required for the region to meet its ambitions. And it contains details of connectivity studies which will be taken forward by EEH working with its partners, through which future investment requirements will be identified. An Integrated Sustainability Appraisal and a number of technical studies which informed the strategy have also been published.
England's Economic Heartland is also seeking views on plans to become a statutory body, increasing its ability to influence the national agenda and deliver the Transport Strategy. The Integrated Sustainability is also subject to consultation.

The launch of the Draft Transport Strategy for consultation follows an extensive period of engagement on our Outline Transport Strategy in 2019. Twelve key messages were identified from the feedback received, most notably the need for EEH to be bold in its approach to decarbonising the transport system.

Watch Head of Technical Programme, Naomi Green's short video guide to their vision and principles below: