The future direction of more than 160 transport initiatives across the West Midlands region is set to become much clearer in the coming months, as a comprehensive review of all proposed schemes continues its work.
Systematic Assessment of Transport Schemes
Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority's Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee have been informed that exactly 168 different transport projects are currently being evaluated under the ongoing Rosewell Review. This important examination was established specifically to determine the most effective way to utilise the substantial £2.4 billion in devolved transport funding available to the region.
Development Stage Analysis
Authority bosses have confirmed that each scheme is being carefully assessed according to its current position within the developmental pathway before any decisions regarding funding allocation are made. Interim chief executive Ed Cox revealed that 78 of the 168 schemes remain at the conceptual stage only, highlighting the varying degrees of advancement across the portfolio of potential projects.
Every project will undergo rigorous evaluation against established criteria including economic benefits, with Mr Cox emphasising that "transparent decisions" will follow this assessment process. This represents a significant shift from previous approaches to funding allocation within the region's transport planning.
Questioning the Timeline
During a question and answer session with Mayor Richard Parker, committee chair Tim Huxtable expressed the concerns of local councillors seeking clarity about implementation timelines. "As councillors, we're always seeking a positive difference for our wards, cities and towns and the West Midlands as a whole," Mr Huxtable stated.
He pressed for specific information about when new schemes would actually commence, particularly those building upon existing infrastructure projects that have either been delivered or are nearing completion. This reflects the desire for continuity and strategic development across the region's transport network.
Major Projects Already in Progress
Mayor Parker responded by highlighting that several significant schemes have already progressed to the WMCA Board for consideration. These include:
- The extension of the Metro system to the £3 billion Sports Quarter
- Birmingham City FC's new ground development
- Investment into Witton and Aston Railway stations to support Aston Villa
"We are working through the Rosewell Review on those list of major projects and currently we're going through a process, clarifying the projects and their status," Mayor Parker explained. "Importantly, what we will be really clear about is where the projects are in the timetable in going through the due process."
Changing the Funding Approach
Mr Cox elaborated on how the Rosewell Review represents a fundamental change in how transport projects are planned and funded across the West Midlands. "The Rosewell Review is helping us to look much more systematically at the way in which we plan for major capital programmes," he stated.
Historically, the Combined Authority would allocate the entire transport budget immediately upon notification of funding availability. "That ties everybody's hands for the whole period and makes it very difficult to unlock projects or find additional funding for when new projects come into the pipeline," Mr Cox acknowledged.
A New Development Pathway
The revised approach, developed with advice from the Rosewell team, involves categorising all 168 existing projects according to their current development stage. "Once you've categorised where they are, you can start to allocate development funding in the appropriate form at the appropriate moment depending on where that project is," Mr Cox explained.
This method ensures that substantial capital funding is not committed to projects still at concept stage, while allowing smaller amounts of revenue funding to be allocated for exploratory work at each developmental phase. As projects pass through transparent gateway criteria, they can progress to subsequent stages until eventually receiving full capital funding commitment.
Clear Timetable for Decision Making
The implementation of this new process is imminent, with a paper scheduled to go before the WMCA Board in February that will outline the proposed approach. "We hope by Autumn, there will be very clear process for every project to enter that pathway and start on that journey," Mr Cox confirmed.
This structured timeline provides certainty for communities, businesses, and local authorities across the West Midlands, ensuring that every part of the region contributes to and benefits from the transport development process. The collaborative approach involves working closely with council partners to build comprehensive plans that serve the entire region's transport needs effectively and efficiently.
