Local Transport Bill [HL]

My Lords, I shall deal with the point on which the noble Lord has alighted, although we have covered quite a lot of the ground. We take the view that it makes sense for the Bill to allow maximum flexibility on who should carry out reviews. For instance, authorities in an area might choose to nominate a single authority to carry out a review on their behalf. Where an authority was abusing this flexibility by triggering reviews in the way that the noble Lord has considered, it would obviously be open for the Secretary of State to take serious note of that, both in deciding whether to issue a direction for a joint review under Clause 72 and in deciding whether any proposals for change which emerge from a review by a single authority should be implemented. Given the importance that integrated transport authorities would have as interested parties when a review of transport governance is carried out, it is only right that where reviews take place they ought to involve an element of self-reflection. The Secretary of State’s guidance would be a useful tool in providing shapes, formats and ideas on how authorities should conduct reviews. I do not think the amendment takes us any further. We believe that the provisions as they are, taken together, will ensure that the interests of all authorities are taken into account before changes are made to existing arrangements. I understand the noble Lord’s concern, but the amendment does not take us any further and I hope that he will not press it.