The Scottish Government

About Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs)

• Regional transport partnerships (RTPs) were established on 1 December 2005 to strengthen the planning and delivery of regional transport so that it better serves the needs of people and businesses.

• The main task of each RTP is to prepare a regional transport strategy. Some RTPs are also responsible for the delivery of transport services and all RTPs will be able seek additional powers if they need them to deliver their strategies.

• RTPs bring together local authorities and other key regional stakeholders to take a strategic approach to transport in each region of Scotland.

• RTPs are independent bodies corporate defined in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005. That legislation bases them on the local government model but they are not local authorities and they are not NDPBs. RTPs are like joint boards, bringing councils together to perform local government functions collectively and strategically over a larger area.

• All local authorities in Scotland are members of regional transport partnerships. Councillors make up around two-thirds of the membership. There can be up to a maximum of 5 councillor members from each constituent council but no more than 20 councillor members in total. The RTPs can also appoint Advisers/Observers.

• Around a third of members of RTPs are non-councillor members who fulfil a role similar to that of Non-Executive Directors. The first of these appointments were made by the Minister for Transport in April 2006 after a public advertising process.
• Scottish Executive Transport Group and Transport Scotland work to ensure close liaison with the RTPs and local authorities to ensure that transport policy in Scotland is properly co-ordinated.