Exclusive:No10 considers handing West Yorkshire extra powers to help deliver mass transit plans

Years could be shaved off the wait for the new Leeds tram network if ministers agree to transfer key planning powers away from Whitehall, according to a new report.

Downing Street is currently considering handing regional mayors the authority to fast-track mass transit schemes ahead of the upcoming Budget on October 28.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has committed to delivering the £2.5bn mass transit scheme, which aims to link Leeds station to Elland Road and Bradford.

Under current schedules, construction is slated to start in 2028, with passenger services running towards the end of the 2030s.

However, the timetable has faced criticism over bureaucratic delays from several prominent figures, including Ms Brabin, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Leeds United director Peter Lowy.

The target date for finishing the project was also pushed back following a review by the Treasury body, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (Nista).

A joint paper published by the Centre for British Progress (CBP) and ThinkLabour reveals that decentralising statutory planning consents could accelerate the West Yorkshire programme by several years.

Kane Emerson, a co-author of the study from the CBP, highlighted the city's scheme as the prime example of how reforms would work.

Mr Emerson said: “The best case study of where our proposals would fix things is actually the Leeds tram.

“In the 2025 Budget, Leeds was given the power to retain some business rates to help fund the West Yorkshire mass transit that Tracy Brabin wants to build.

“The big blocker isn’t just the money, the money is good and the government is devolving many important powers around funding.

“One of the key blockers is quite a boring instrument called a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO), and that is the consent for building something like a tram.”

Past attempts to build a network in the city suffered major delays under the existing system. Leeds City Council lodged an application for a TWAO back in 2013, only for the Government to reject it three years later.

The think tanks are also urging ministers to hand over the ability to sign off development consent orders, a requirement for major infrastructure projects.

“This could shorten timescales by a few years because it means that Leeds can make the decision rather than sending it off to Whitehall,” Mr Emerson said.

“If Tracy Brabin had these powers then arguably the tram would be much further advanced, and Leeds may have had a tram by now.”

Earlier this year, then-chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the Department for Transport and the Treasury would consult on devolving TWAO powers.

The Yorkshire Evening Post understands that No10 is considering passing on these powers in the Budget.

After taking office, Mr Burnham confirmed that mayors could keep a share of local business rates and income tax to give them greater financial leeway.

Chancellor John Healey is expected to advance the devolution strategy in the Budget later this month.

Mr Emerson said: “This Budget coming up will have a lot of devolution announcements.

“There has been a lot of lobbying from the mayoralties so we’re really hoping this power is included, and we think there is a good chance it is.

“If mayors are to be accountable for local areas and growth in the regions then they need to be given actual powers.”