Mayor Claire launches Big Transport Conversation - have your say on transport improvements across the region

Big changes are on the way for how we move around the East Midlands, and residents are being urged to get involved.

Following approval at Committee in October, The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) has launched the Mayor’s Big Transport Conversation, inviting everyone across the region to share their ideas for a better, fairer, and more connected transport. 

The conversation was launched at Mansfield Bus Station, with the Mayor speaking to press and media on a double-decker bus.  

Led by Mayor Claire Ward, the Mayor’s Transport Plan sets out a bold 15-year vision to transform the way people travel across the region. From 17th November, a 12-week public conversation has begun, giving residents the chance to help shape a transport system that truly works for them. 
 
Mayor Claire Ward said: “I’m delighted that the Committee has backed my vision for transport. This plan sets out a bold and necessary approach to improving travel across the East Midlands, but it’s vital that local people help shape it by joining the conversation.” 

The Mayor’s Transport Plan focuses on three major goals: 

• Making public transport easier to use and more affordable 
• Providing better travel choices that reduce car dependency and connect every community 
• Upgrading and maintaining highways to ensure they’re reliable and resilient as travel patterns and the climate change 

Mayor Claire added: “For too many people in the East Midlands, life doesn’t work because transport doesn’t work. When buses are too expensive, trains don’t run when people need them, or roads aren’t safe or reliable. It affects everything, from work, education, healthcare, and the simple ability to stay connected with family and friends. 

“That’s why this plan starts with you. I want to hear your experiences, your priorities, and your ideas. I want to understand what matters most to you, what works well, what doesn’t, and what would make the biggest difference to your daily life. Together, we can shape a transport system that truly works for everyone. 

“My vision for the East Midlands is simple: public transport that’s easy and affordable to use, communities connected to one another, not just to the biggest cities and roads and infrastructure that are safe, well maintained, and fit for the future. 

“These are big ambitions, but I’m not afraid of the challenge. Some things will take time, but others can change quickly if we focus our efforts in the right places. As your Mayor, I’m ready to fight for the improvements that will make the East Midlands a fairer, greener, better-connected region. 

£So read this plan, think about the future you want, and tell me what you want me to fight for because this is just the start of building a transport system that makes life work for everyone.” 

The Mayor’s Big Transport Conversation runs from 17th November 2025 to 13th February 2026. 

Visit the EMCCA website to share your views and be part of building a better-connected East Midlands.