Landmark plan sets out steps to decarbonise transport in South East England

Transport for the South East (TfSE) has launched a 12-week public consultation on a £45 billion plan that sets out the steps to decarbonise the transport system across the region, support left-behind communities and facilitate sustainable economic growth in South East England.

Over the last five years TfSE has worked with a huge range of partners including local authorities, local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), district and borough authorities, national parks and other protected landscapes and representatives from National Highways, Network Rail and Transport for London. Together they have investigated the issues, challenges and opportunities identified in their transport strategy (2020) in more detail to identify a shortlist of integrated transport interventions that will make life better for people, businesses and the environment.

This new plan is the culmination of that work and recognises a need for greater connectivity between the major economic hubs, international gateways and their markets, as well as a more resilient and reliable transport network that can better manage demand, incidents and extreme weather and the infrastructure that will support the decarbonisation of the transport system.

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With a total capital cost of £45 billion over 27 years, the plan proposes that the transport interventions included in this plan alone will generate 21,000 new jobs; an additional £4.1 billion growth in gross value added (GVA) a year by 2050; an additional 550,000 rail trips a day, as well as 1.6 million bus, mass transit and ferry trips a day; while taking more than four million car trips a day off the roads of the South East.

“Our plan is ambitious, but it is achievable. It is an investment plan that for the first time looks at all modes and goes beyond boundaries to consider connectivity across the whole of the South East,” said Councillor Keith Glazier, Chair of TfSE. “Once finalised, this plan will be the blueprint for future investment in strategic transport infrastructure for the next thirty years. It will support the South East’s economy to more than double over the next 30 years. It provides the potential for new jobs, new homes and new opportunities – all supported by a modern, integrated transport network. Creating a prosperous, confident South East where people want to live, work, study, visit and do business.”