Transport measures linked to the City Ground expansion have been identified as a possible opportunity for funding through the East Midlands’ £2 billion transport programme.
A report to the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) highlights the sustainable transport conditions attached to the stadium expansion and says supporting work on those measures could also benefit the wider Trent Sports District.
However, no additional funding has been agreed. The report does not identify a sum for the City Ground area, specify which transport improvements could receive support or seek approval for an individual scheme.
The proposal appears in a Local Transport Delivery Plan report due before EMCCA’s Transport and Digital Connectivity Committee on Thursday 29 October.
Members are being asked to endorse submission of the plan to the Department for Transport by 31 October, a requirement of the region’s Mayoral Transport Fund settlement.
The report says potential growth and investment in the Trent Sports District had previously been identified as a possible reason for an additional allocation from the fund.
It states: “The outcome of the recent planning application for expansion of the City Ground identified sustainable transport conditions that would need to be met.”
Officers say supporting the development of those options would benefit both the ground expansion and opportunities for growth across the wider sports district.
For residents and supporters, the report establishes a possible route towards regional support for transport measures associated with the expansion. It does not set out changes to local roads, public transport services or walking and cycling routes, or provide a timetable for delivering them.
The potential allocation is discussed alongside other demands on the existing transport programme, including additional support for the South Derbyshire Growth Zone and higher-than-expected costs of maintaining transport infrastructure.
EMCCA’s first three-year programme, covering 2026/27 to 2028/29, was developed through a process beginning in September 2025. The transport committee endorsed it in April 2026 and the authority’s board approved it on 8 June.
That programme had a total value of approximately £750 million. The report says £9 million of capital funding remained unallocated after the first phase of programme development.
Officers also identify the possibility of “over-programming”, which means planning a programme above the funding allocation to maximise opportunities for delivery.
The report says the Department for Transport commonly expects an allowance of 15 to 20 per cent for this approach. Applied to EMCCA’s first three years, it would allow between £111 million and £149 million of additional capital schemes to be included in the programme if required.
Those figures do not represent a new government funding award or money reserved for the City Ground. The board endorsed the principle of over-programming in June, but any use of it would require separate approval.
Beyond the existing programme, the delivery plan outlines how EMCCA could use £1.252 billion available for 2029/30 to 2031/32.
Detailed projects for those later years are still being developed. Officers expect that work to continue over the next 18 to 24 months, and say the Department for Transport has agreed to accept broad investment themes rather than a final list of schemes at this stage.
Priorities include public transport improvements, walking and cycling connections, maintenance, safety and accessibility.
The report proposes continuing increased maintenance funding across the full six-year period. It says this would support more preventative work and reduce the need for urgent repairs, including potholes, although the accumulated maintenance backlog cannot be resolved within this funding settlement.
It also suggests increasing the regional fund for smaller community and neighbourhood transport improvements from approximately £13 million a year to £25 million a year during the second stage. The amount and its distribution remain indicative.
Most of the later funding is for capital investment. The report says the £43 million revenue element is intended for developing schemes, complementary measures and resources, and cannot be used to run services. Separate bus service funding for that period has not yet been settled.
Endorsing the delivery plan on 29 October would not approve individual projects or commit EMCCA to additional expenditure. Any subsequent City Ground-related allocation would have to pass through the authority’s business-case, financial and decision-making processes.
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