The Greater Lincolnshire Transport Board convened to discuss and make decisions on several key transport initiatives for the region. The board approved recommendations for the Greater Lincolnshire Local Transport Plan, the Greater Lincolnshire Local Transport Authority Transition Programme, the Rural Transport Group, Transport for Greater Lincolnshire Terms of Reference, and Local Transport Funding. The meeting addressed strategic objectives, funding allocations, and collaborative efforts to enhance transport infrastructure and services across Greater Lincolnshire.

Local Transport Funding

The board approved the 2025/2026 allocation of Local Transport Resource Funding to the authority and its constituent authorities. They also approved the approach and principles for allocating Local Transport Grant and Local Transport Resource in 2026/27.

The Department for Transport (DfT) provides this funding under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003. The confirmed Local Transport Resource Funding for 2025/26 is £1,063,000.

The board agreed that the authority would retain approximately £423,120 of this funding to progress the development of the Local Transport Plan, transition, preparation, development of the national mayoral group on rural transport and an intra authority legal agreement during 2025/26. The balance will be passported across to the constituent authorities using a formula developed by the DfT, considering the area's population (70% of the allocation), and an equal split and minimum floor (30% of the allocation). This results in the following proposed allocation of resource funding in 2025/26:

• Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority: £423,722
• Lincolnshire County Council: £367,996
• North East Lincolnshire Council: £133,834
• North Lincolnshire Council: £138,048

The proposed principles for the allocation of Local Transport Resource Funding in 2026/27 are:

• It is retained by the authority in the first instance.
• Through the annual budget process, budget setting and approval, the authority will agree on the allocation balancing the need between developing resources at the authority and mayoral priorities, and discussions with Constituent Councils.
• It will incorporate transparency, fairness, and equity in the allocation of funding.
• The principles will be reviewed each year as the authority develops and transport functions transition to the authority over a period of time.

The Local Transport Grant for 2026/27 is:

• Lincolnshire County Council: £14,059,000
• North East Lincolnshire Council: £6,124,000
• North Lincolnshire Council: £5,164,000

It was proposed that 5% of the Local Transport Grant (£1,300,000) be retained by the GLCCA to support the delivery of mayoral transport regional priorities.

Greater Lincolnshire Local Transport Plan

The board supported the commencement of a scoping exercise for the new Greater Lincolnshire Local Transport Plan (LTP) and requested a report back to the next meeting with the findings, including a consultation and engagement programme.

The plan, which will be led by the Mayor, will set out the intentions of the Greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority area. A five-stage programme has been mapped out for the plan's development:

• Stage 1 - Review of previous strategies, project governance and delivery arrangements, and LTP scoping and approval to start
• Stage 2 - LTP Baselining
• Stage 3 - Develop vision and objectives
• Stage 4 - Strategy development and development delivery plan and funding strategy
• Stage 5 - Final LTP and political sign off.

The forward plan for the Local Transport Plan is:

2025/26

• Q4 – Share results of stakeholder engagement and work on scenario planning

2026/27

• Q1 - Share draft vision, objectives, policies, and delivery programme.
• Q2 – Share programme for the formal statutory consultation period.
• Q3 – Share results of formal consultation and any resulting amendments to the LTP as well as outcomes of Equality Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment
• Q4 – Formal adoption of the final LTP

Greater Lincolnshire Local Transport Authority Transition Programme

The board agreed to the principles of the Local Transport Transition Programme and delegated its implementation, including developing an inter-authority agreement, to the Chief Operating Officer of the GLCCA.

Under the terms of the Greater Lincolnshire devolution agreement, the GLCCA will become the Local Transport Authority (LTA) for the Greater Lincolnshire area on 1 April 2026, taking on associated responsibilities and local public transport powers.

The transition programme has identified five key areas of functional responsibility:

1. Transport Leadership (GLCCA)
2. Transport Strategy (GLCCA)
3. Investment Planning and Assurance (GLCCA)
4. Transport Scheme Delivery (Constituent Authorities)
5. Operations and Maintenance (Constituent Authorities)

The GLCCA will develop an inter-authority agreement that delegates powers for delivery areas to the constituent authorities for a minimum of 12 months, commencing 1 April 2026.

Transport for Greater Lincolnshire Terms of Reference

The board endorsed the strategic objectives of Transport for Greater Lincolnshire (TfGL) and recommended to the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority to establish TfGL as an advisory group. They also recommended adopting Terms of Reference and appointing a membership for TfGL.

TfGL will provide a strategic, cross-boundary, and cross-organisational approach to transport, taking on a leadership and brokering role to drive and shape the transport agenda for Greater Lincolnshire.

The key aims of the group will be to:

• Bring representatives from all key transport sectors together in a single forum.
• Integrate options for access to transport modes.
• Act as an industry representative group to inform policy development.
• Act as a forum for innovation and new ideas generation.
• Provide direction for programme and project development.
• Receive performance information.
• Report into the GLCCA Transport Board as required.

Core membership will include:

• Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire (Chair)
• Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Bus Enhanced Partnership
• Chair of the Transport Board
• Active Travel England representative
• Regional representative Midlands Connect/Transport for the North or equivalent
• Highway Authority Senior Officers x 3
• Logistics sector representative
• Ports representative
• Rail sector representative
• Taxi/Private Hire
• Voluntary transport representative

The Rural Transport Group

The board noted the continuation of work to establish the Mayoral Rural Transport Group (RTG).

The Greater Lincolnshire Devolution Deal set out a new national transport role:

The Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire will establish and chair a rural transport group alongside existing Level 3 combined authorities, that will lead the national debate on transport in mayoral rural areas. The group will champion innovation and work in partnership with the Department for Transport to identify pilot projects to address rural connectivity and accessibility challenges.

Following the July 2025 Transport Board meeting, the Chair wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport requesting ministerial sponsorship. A supportive response was received from Simon Lightwood MP, Minister for Local Transport, who expressed interest in engaging with the group and acknowledged the importance of rural transport.

The areas of focus for the RTG will be:

• Policy and Advocacy
• Knowledge Sharing
• Research and Reports
• Support for Devolution
• Promote Innovation

A formal launch event is being planned in Westminster, with invitations extended to Mayors from across England, stakeholders, and decision-makers.

Public Question Time

During public question time, Deputy Mayor Ingrid Sheard answered questions on behalf of Dame Andrea Jenkyns DBE, the Mayor of Lincolnshire.

Mr Edward Fleet asked whether the Mayor would consider bringing buses back under public control through franchising. Deputy Mayor Ingrid Sheard responded that the Bus Services Bill¹ is still going through the legislative process and that it is vital that mechanisms used to improve public transport in the county are properly considered through a rural lens. Mr Tim Grigg asked why the Mayor had not signed up to an agreement with 12 other mayors to create an Active Travel network across the country. Deputy Mayor Ingrid Sheard responded that Active Travel England² recognised that due to the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority being newly formed, the engagement that many of the other Mayors have had has not been able to take place for Greater Lincolnshire. Ms Jane Bateman asked about the timescale for developing the Local Transport Plan and how the public would be consulted. Deputy Mayor Ingrid Sheard responded that the timescales for working on the development of the Local Transport Plan will be led by the Transport Board and that future updates will detail opportunities for the public to get involved in the development of plans.