A A Local Metroisation Area (LMA) is a functional rail geography within which a group of towns, stations and principal destinations can be connected by frequent, regular local rail services, integrated with regional and long-distance services. LMAs typically extend 30 to 80 km across, but the decisive test is whether the area can function as one integrated local rail network within the wider national railway
1. Map the railway and its places
Map the passenger and freight network, stations, service patterns, rail-served settlements, major destinations, connecting transport networks and planned housing and employment growth
2. Identify the principal rail centres
Identify the towns, cities, interchanges and destinations around which local journeys are organised, considering population, employment, passenger movements, rail connectivity and planned growth
3. Define candidate LMAs
Group stations and corridors around these centres using rail journey times, passenger and economic relationships, timetable compatibility, interchange patterns and station-centred development opportunities. Allow for shared stations and interfaces between neighbouring LMAs
4. Test railway and growth potential
Confirm that each candidate forms a coherent and operable network capable of supporting frequent, regular local services while integrating with regional, long-distance and freight operations. Assess its population, employment, development potential and connections with other transport modes
5. Consult, refine and prioritise
GBR, passenger and freight operators, transport and planning authorities, development bodies and communities should review the proposed geography. Refine the boundaries using operational and local evidence, then identify which LMAs are ready for early development and which require longer-term investment