A new report from a leading local government think tank has argued that devolving powers to metro mayors to integrate public transport networks could add up to £17bn a year to the national economy.

The urban policy research charity, Centre for Cities, made the case in Integrated transport: The size of the prize for mayors, for integrating different modes and routes into one network as the best way to improve connectivity within a city.

As the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill moves through Parliament, the powers to deliver these integrated transport systems could soon be under the control of city regions with Established Mayoral Strategic Authority (EMSA) status.

As a result, six metro mayor areas – Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and the North East – could ‘significantly improve public transport' to ensure up to two million more people have access to city centres in under 30 minutes, the think tank said.

Centre for Cities highlighted that allowing for easier and shorter journeys to city centres would effectively increase city sizes by over a third and could add £17bn additional economic output a year.

It warned, however, that the benefits depend on the ‘relative convenience' of private motor vehicles. Using West and South Yorkshire city regions as an example, the report authors state that half of the people who would benefit from public transport integration ‘would still find it quicker to drive'.

The report authors urged mayors to consider central congestion charges and measures aimed at stationary vehicles, such as workplace parking levies or higher parking fees.

The authors also called on the national government to:

  • Be open to further requests from mayors for more powers over their transport systems.
  • Deliver on rail devolution, so mayors can get the most out of modal integration.
  • Make sure the Integrated National Transport Strategy understands the importance of improving intra-urban public transport networks in big cities.

Ben Plowden of Campaign for Better Transport said: ‘This report confirms just how transformative devolution could be for sustainable transport and the wider economy in the UK's major city regions. With the right powers and a clear mandate, metro mayors now have an unprecedented opportunity to knit together the networks their economies depend on, driving growth, improving access to jobs, and helping deliver local and national climate commitments. Integration should not be a luxury; it should be a prerequisite for thriving, fair, healthy cities.

‘But devolution can only succeed if it is backed by a robust Integrated National Transport Strategy and a funding framework that matches the scale of the challenge. If we want UK cities to reach the European standards of integration highlighted in this report, mayors must be empowered to raise and retain meaningful, stable revenue locally to complement reliable national funding. A coherent package of local revenue-raising powers, combined with long-term national support, is essential to build the seamless, reliable public transport systems people deserve.'