Furious transport bosses have accused Communities Secretary Eric Pickles of seeking to derail a £1 billion local transport plan.

The Government wants a referendum to be triggered if “unelected local quangos” force an increase of more than two per cent on council taxes.

But transport bosses say this could hamper their ambitious ten-year plan to overhaul transport links across West Yorkshire.

Currently, local authorities cannot increase council tax by more than two per cent without holding, and winning, a referendum.

In Wednesday’s Queen’s Speech, Mr Pickles announced this measure would be widened to include bodies who impose levies on local councils, such as transport authorities, under a new Local Audit and Accountability Bill.

This could affect the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund, which would be paid for in part by increasing a transport authority levy on councils by five per cent a year. The plan includes congestion-busting schemes on parts of the district's road network, including key routes to Leeds-Bradford Airport, as well as upgrading and improving rail routes between Leeds and Bradford in preparation for the high speed connection (HS2).

It is being developed by the five West Yorkshire councils – Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield – as well as York.

Councillor James Lewis, chairman of West Yorkshire transport authority Metro, criticised the new bill, saying the levy would cost residents just a few pence a week. He said it was unlikely that any referendum would be held, as it could cost more to stage than the amount they hoped to raise for the transport fund.

Councillor Val Slater, Bradford Council’s executive member for transport, said the Government had only outlined its plan so far, and she was waiting to get more details.

But Councillor Glen Miller, leader of the Conservatives at Bradford Council, said he backed the new legislation and disagreed that it would hamper the plan.

Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis has also responded, saying unelected bodies should get the taxpayers’ permission to make such hikes.


He said: “The Passenger Transport Executives are unelected bodies. If quangos want to hike up council tax, they should get the consent of local taxpayers.”