Local Transport Act 2008

81 Secretary of State’s power to direct a review: new ITA

(1) The Secretary of State may direct two or more of the authorities falling within subsection (2) (including two or more authorities of the same description) to undertake a review of the effectiveness and efficiency of transport within the whole or any part of the authorities' combined area.

(2) An authority falls within this subsection if it is—

(a) a council for a county in England comprised in an area for which there is no ITA,

(b) a council for a district in England comprised in an area for which there is no ITA.

(3) The Secretary of State may give a direction only if the Secretary of State considers that the review and any scheme are likely to improve—

(a) the exercise of statutory functions relating to transport in an integrated transport area or proposed integrated transport area, and

(b) the effectiveness and efficiency of transport within such an area.

(4) A direction may require the preparation and publication of a scheme for the establishment of an ITA for any area (being an area which is capable of being designated by an order under section 78) which consists of the whole or any part of the authorities' combined area.

(5) The review must be undertaken jointly by all the authorities subject to the direction.

(6) The provision which may be made by a direction includes provision for—

(a) the timetable for the review and for the preparation and publication of a scheme,

(b) the procedures to be followed in carrying out the review,

(c) particular issues which the review and any scheme must address,

(d) the implementation of any scheme.

(7) The authorities to which a direction is given must, in carrying out the review and preparing any scheme, do so in the manner that they consider most likely to improve—

(a) the exercise of statutory functions relating to transport in their combined area, and

(b) the effectiveness and efficiency of transport within that area.