Sections 108 to 109C of the Transport Act 2000 require local transport authorities to develop policies for the promotion of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services within their area. These policies are known collectively as a local transport plan. Local transport authorities are required to publish their local transport plan, make a copy available for public inspection and keep the plan under regular review, replacing it with a new plan no later than five years after the date on which the original was made.

Section 3 of, and the Schedule to, the Transport (Wales) Act 2006 modifies section 108 of the Transport Act 2000, and introduces new sections 109A to 109C that apply only to Wales. The Transport (Wales) Act 2006 also incorporates new sections 113A and 113B into the Transport Act 2000. Section 113A enables the Welsh Ministers to make an Order permitting local transport authorities to produce a local transport plan in respect of part only of their area. It also permits a local transport plan to be prepared by two or more authorities jointly in respect of an area comprising of all or any part of their collective area. Section 113B enables the Welsh Ministers to issue written directions to local transport authorities in relation to the manner in which they carry out functions under sections 108 to 109C of the Transport Act 2000.

The effect of this Order is to exercise the power of the Welsh Ministers under section 113A of the Transport Act 2000 to permit local transport plans to be made in respect of part only of an authority’s area. It also allows two or more local transport authorities to produce a local transport plan jointly rather than on an individual authority basis, in respect of the whole or part of their collective area.

The Order does not make provision for the way in which the local transport authorities will work together. This is a matter for the relevant authorities.

Neither does the Order make provision for the preparation and implementation of local transport plans as this is dealt with separately in guidance published by the Welsh Ministers in accordance with section 112 of the Transport Act 2000.

This Order revokes and replaces the Regional Transport Planning (Wales) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/2993) (W.280)).