Fears of huge cuts to local transport funding as mayors lobby Treasury

Hundreds of millions of pounds of local transport funding in England could be cut in next week's spending review despite having been agreed with regional mayors, putting bus, tube and tram improvements at risk.

- Kiran Stacey, Jessica Elgot, Pippa Crerar

The mayors, most of whom are Labour, are engaged in a last-minute lobbying campaign to stop the Treasury raiding their transport budgets as Rachel Reeves looks for immediate savings.

Officials say that without this money, plans such as extending the night tube in London, rolling out electric buses and schemes to boost walking and cycling could all be delayed or cut.

“The mayors have been pushing back on the idea that their sustainable budgets should be cut, not least because many of them thought the money was guaranteed until 2027,” said one official.

The Treasury did not respond to a request to comment.

Reeves, the chancellor, will announce a spending review to cover this financial year and next at the same time as next week's budget, and is looking for billions of pounds in cuts to cover what she says is a £22bn shortfall in the government's accounts.