Hertfordshire County Council has joined England's Economic Heartland, which provides leadership on strategic infrastructure in the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge growth corridor.
Hertfordshire follows Swindon Borough Council which joined the emerging Sub-national Transport Body in March. There are now 11 local transport authorities that make up England's Economic Heartland, with a total population of over 5.1 million and GVA of £150bn.
Cllr Martin Tett, chairman of England's Economic Heartland, said: "We are delighted Hertfordshire has joined England's Economic Heartland. It will further strengthen our ability to join-up strategic infrastructure planning, and to speak with one, powerful voice on the region's needs – not just in transport, but also wider infrastructure such as broadband and utilities.
"With Swindon also recently coming on board, it shows the momentum that England's Economic Heartland has achieved since being formed just three years' ago. We have always been clear that the opportunity of the 'Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge' corridor extends far beyond those cities, and actually runs from west coast to east coast, and from the borders of north London to the south Midlands. We are always open to hearing from authorities who feel they fit into this wider geography."
Cllr David Williams, leader of Hertfordshire County Council, said: "Hertfordshire is perfectly placed within the London-Oxford-Cambridge 'golden triangle', so joining England's Economic Heartland makes absolute sense. There is also significant overlap in our transport priorities, with a key aim being to improve east-west connectivity.
"It is clear there is a real desire amongst all partners at England's Economic Heartland to work together to fulfil this region's immense economic potential, establishing it as the UK's leading hub for innovation and growth. Being part of this alliance will also provide a more effective route for the development and co-ordination of strategic infrastructure which benefits Hertfordshire and give us a powerful platform to influence national decisions about local priorities and funding."
Cllr David Renard, leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: "Joining England's Economic Heartland will bring significant economic benefits to Swindon and we are already working closely with other partners within the group to realise the game changing potential of the Oxfordshire to Cambridgeshire growth corridor.
"We have a growing economy and fantastic connectivity here in Swindon, as well as affordable housing and a great quality of life. We want to share all these benefits with other successful areas by making the case for additional infrastructure investment so we can improve travel between east and west, linking up Cambridge with Swindon and the West of England and driving economic growth from East Anglia and the M11 to the M4 and beyond."