What is a local transport plan

What is a Local Transport Plan?

A Local Transport Plan (or LTP) is a document by which we bid for funding from the Government for transport projects in Bedfordshire. It sets out what we plan to do for all modes of transport (road, walking, cycling, public transport etc.) over the next 5 years, and where the money we get from Government will be spent. It also sets out a range of indicators, by which we are to measure our performance, as well as targets for these indicators that we propose to achieve over the lifetime of the Local Transport Plan.

All Local Transport Authorities are required to produce a Local Transport Plan every 5 years under the Transport Act 2000. As we are the transport authority for Bedfordshire (excluding Luton), we are legally bound to produce a Local Transport Plan for the County. Luton Borough Council is the Local Transport Authority for Luton, and therefore they also have to produce a Local Transport Plan covering the Luton area.

Bedfordshire has two adopted Local Transport Plans. One covers Luton, Dunstable, and Houghton Regis, and has been produced by Luton Borough Council in partnership with Bedfordshire County Council. These towns are very closely connected, so it makes sense to produce one Local Transport Plan for the area, rather than have Dunstable and Houghton Regis incorporated into our Local Transport Plan. The other covers the rest of Bedfordshire. We have produced this Local Transport Plan ourselves, however we do work with other agencies on such matters as cross-boundary issues, trunk road schemes, and public transport improvement. In 2000, we produced the first Local Transport Plan for Bedfordshire, entitled 'Bedfordshire Market Towns and Rural Areas Local Transport Plan 2000/01 to 2005/06'. In March 2006, the second Local Transport Plan for Bedfordshire was produced for 2006/7-2010/11.

Every year since, we have produced an Annual Progress Report (or APR) for the Local Transport Plan. Each APR sets out what schemes we have delivered, the targets we are achieving, and give general information on what we have done over the preceding 12 months. Using these reports, we can obtain an idea as to how well we are delivering the Local Transport Plan. Law requires us to submit an APR to the Government every year.