A practitioners’ guide to help build locally-led partnerships between Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the railway has been launched, as the journey to GBR progresses.

Rail reform and devolution in England will make it easier for Mayors and the railway to work together, based on clearer roles and responsibilities.

The guide promotes existing good practice and new ways of working to build effective local partnerships and elaborates on the Mayoral Partnerships Framework.

The creation of the guide has been steered by the UTG-GBR Partnership Liaison Group, which comprises senior officers from Mayoral transport authorities, the English devolution lead from the Department for Transport’s rail reform function, and the mayoral partnerships team (a small transitionary function working across the railway as part of reform).

The guide – which is the first issue - has been developed following an extensive consultation and listening exercise, including workshops and interviews. It will continue to be co-owned as it is updated. GBR, once established, will become the natural co-owner for the guide for the railway.

The guide is not a set of instructions or formal guidance. It aims to support organisations by offering the tools to reach alignment and a mutual understanding to enable partnership to flourish based on the emerging statutory landscape.