A new mayor could unlock several long-requested transport projects across the region as the Labour government develops combined authorities to support economic growth and handle strategic decisions.
The Thames Valley is among the areas included in the government’s programme for mayoral strategic authorities, a decision announced on October 28.
The proposed authority would cover Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Swindon and would be headed by an elected mayor, following a model used in London, Manchester and Bristol.
Three transport schemes could receive significant backing if the mayor prioritised them, secured regional funding and persuaded central government to contribute.
These are the Western Rail Link to Heathrow, a third bridge across the Thames and the remaining sections of East West Rail.
The Western Rail Link would create a four-mile railway connection with a tunnel linking the Great Western Main Line directly to Heathrow Airport.
Heathrow is the nearest airport to Reading and the principal airport serving people in Oxfordshire.
At present, passengers travelling there by rail from Reading and nearby areas must travel to London Paddington before heading west on the Heathrow Express.
The proposed link would remove that additional leg of the journey.
MPs from Berkshire and elsewhere have supported the scheme, while a regional mayor could advance it through funding priorities and lobbying for government investment.
Two established alternatives have weakened the case for additional rail capacity.
Rail Air coaches connect Reading station with Heathrow Airport and normally complete the trip in 40 minutes.
The Elizabeth Line also provides a route from Reading, with passengers changing at Hayes and Harlington for services to every Heathrow terminal, taking just under an hour.
A third crossing of the Thames has remained a priority for Reading Borough Council for years.
The proposed highway bridge would connect Thames Valley Park in Earley with the junction of Henley Road and Caversham Park Road.
Its construction would remove the need for drivers heading between Caversham and the centre of Reading to pass through the town and use Reading Bridge or Caversham Bridge.
The bridge plan has attracted substantial opposition from Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats.
A mayor could potentially overrule that opposition by approving the project through an executive decision.
However, the structure of combined authorities would allow Thames Valley council leaders to veto the scheme.
East West Rail could also benefit from the involvement of a Thames Valley mayor, who would be expected to help negotiate the completion of the Oxford-to-Cambridge railway.
More services are due to begin this year, while work on the wider route has continued for several years.
Trains have operated between Oxford and Bicester since 2016, and most of the project within Oxfordshire has now been delivered.
Engineering between Oxford and Milton Keynes was completed in June 2025, with passenger services between the two cities hoped to begin in the near future.
The outstanding work lies between Milton Keynes and Cambridge, outside the Thames Valley area.
Rail passengers currently travelling between Oxford and Cambridge must pass through London, make two changes and spend two hours and 40 minutes in transit.
Completion of the remaining route would provide a direct alternative.