Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the cost of bidding for funds from the City Transformation Fund.

An assessment has not been made of the cost of bidding for funds from the Transforming Cities Fund, but the Government is mindful of the cost to Local Authorities of bidding for local transport funding. That is why the bidding process for the Transforming Cities Fund has been designed to be light-touch, and eligibility has been limited to the largest English cities to maximise cost-effectiveness for bidders while still delivering value for money for the taxpayer.

City regions have been initially encouraged to provide light-touch expressions of interest through a Call for Proposals, and the Department will work closely with shortlisted city regions to develop the strongest possible proposals.