Guidance

Everitt Review transport capacity and capability terms of reference

Published 3 November 2026

Background

The government is committed to devolving power, funding and accountability from Whitehall to mayors and local leaders, as set out in the Rewiring the State Cabinet Statement, published on 31 July 2026.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and No10 North are leading cross-government activity, with support from the Department for Transport (DfT) and mayors, to enable the development of local areas’ capacity and capability to take on new and expanded transport responsibilities.

As part of this work, and in partnership with the UK Mayors Network and mayoral strategic authorities (MSAs), the Secretary of State wishes to identify how DfT, its arm’s length bodies (ALBs) and wider government departments can best support mayors to develop the necessary capacity and capability within their strategic authorities to deliver their transport plans and improve transport outcomes for their communities and businesses to drive good growth.

Phase 1 of this review will focus on established mayoral strategic authorities (EMSAs) in England. Phase 2 will expand the scope of the review to consider all MSAs and foundation strategic authorities (FSAs) and consider how areas expected to gain MSA status in the future can be best supported to maximise the opportunities that greater devolution brings.

Purpose

The purpose of phase 1 is to work with EMSAs and others across the transport sector to build a more strategic understanding of the transport capacity and capability challenges and opportunities facing EMSAs and how DfT, its ALBs and wider government can best work with local areas to support places to deliver on the government’s devolution ambitions.

Leadership

The government has asked Vernon Everitt CBE, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, to lead and act as Chair of the review (hereafter known as the Everitt Review). The Everitt Review will be supported by Conrad Bailey CBE, Director General for Public Transport and Local Group and Benjamin Smith, Director for Public Transport Strategy and Security from DfT and their teams.

Scope

The Everitt Review will recognise that EMSAs have different transport challenges and strengths, different organisational arrangements and levels of experience in transport operations and capital programme delivery, and different capacity and capability for delivering transport outcomes. The review will work with EMSAs to consider what will work for them.

The success of devolution in delivering improved transport for people depends not only on policy reform in specific areas, but also on working with EMSAs to support them to develop the leadership and structural arrangements, delivery skills (for example, project, commercial, financial) and delivery capability that they need to maximise their existing and expanded responsibilities in a way that reflects their priorities. This will require genuine partnership working between national government, mayors and their teams, ALBs and the private sector to improve transport outcomes for people and businesses.

Engagement under the Everitt Review will focus on:

• an assessment of the readiness of EMSAs to deliver effective, efficient, integrated transport systems in the context of further devolution as set out in ‘Rewiring the State’
• the support that EMSAs identify as necessary to develop and implement integrated transport strategies and delivery plans to support good growth in every postcode
• the conditions for stronger partnership working between EMSAs, national transport delivery bodies and the private sector
• EMSAs’ capacity and capability for delivering the specific transport issues identified in the Cabinet Statement
• other areas identified as priorities by EMSA mayors and leaders

Approach and process

The review will consider a range of evidence and insights. The chair of the review and the review team will engage directly with the mayors of EMSAs and their leadership teams (for example, chief executive officers, managing directors and transport directors). It will consider examples of best practice that could be promoted and shared across local government and will consider how best to support EMSAs at each stage of the devolution journey.

This work will draw on a wide range of expertise across public and private sectors to arrive at a set of practical and actionable plans to build the necessary capacity and capability in support of EMSAs’ ambitions.

Governance

The chair is responsible for the delivery of the review and its recommendations and will report to both the Secretary of State for Transport and to the UK Mayors Network. The chair will be supported by a review secretariat, based in the Integrated and Active Travel division of the Department for Transport. The review will also draw on the extensive skills, knowledge and experience of the Urban Transport Group and its members.

Any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest arising during the review will be declared and appropriately managed

Outputs and reporting

Phase 1 of the review is expected to take 3 to 4 months from commencement.

The phase 1 outputs will include a flexible capacity and capability blueprint, drawing on what works well across the EMSAs and relevant learning from ALBs. The review will develop a maturity path and workable timeline for strengthening capacity and capability in each EMSA, in a way that reflects their local ambitions, existing strengths and delivery context. It will also consider how this blueprint could be applied to MSAs, FSAs and areas expected to gain MSA status in future as part of phase 2.

Phase 2 of the review will be subject to separate terms of reference. It will refine, cost and agree the blueprint, maturity path and migration plan with DfT, its ALBs and strategic authorities.

The outputs from both phases will inform the development of an implementation plan for consideration by DfT, its ALBs and strategic authorities.