06.12.17
Government opens £600bn pipeline to develop major infrastructure projects
The government has published plans for a £600bn infrastructure investment pipeline, designed to bring major new construction projects across the UK.
The plan, which includes transport infrastructure, is part of a boost to the construction sector which government officials believe will save £15bn by increasing productivity.
The government has also revealed its Transport Infrastructure Efficiency Strategy, which is aimed at tackling seven challenges to the transport industry.
They call for greater consideration of strategic trade-offs; setting up projects to deliver better outcomes for transport users; benchmarking; more robust estimating in projects; collaboration with industry enabling greater innovation; the use of new technology; and adoption of modern methods of construction.
Transport secretary Chris Grayling said the government needed to work to continue pushing infrastructure projects forward.
“We must also drive forward plans to ensure these infrastructure projects are completed on time and on budget,” he explained.
“World-leading projects such as Crossrail, the Ordsall Chord and the huge investment programme in our major roads show that Britain can deliver on time and on budget, boosting jobs and growth and creating new opportunities across the nation.
“But we want to do better. This strategy shows the way and sets out our standards for how we will do more and better in future.”
Andrew Jones, exchequer secretary to the Treasury, also backed construction plans, saying the scale of investment offered would deliver a “step change” for the UK.
Those opposed to the plans say that the projects being announced are things the government has already committed to and then failed to implement.
Peter Dowd, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, commented: “The government has no shame, after a year of Tory claims that Labour would bankrupt the country with our 10-year £500bn investment plans, they are now presenting their own as a supposed £600bn scheme.
“However, the truth is that many of these are just re-announcements of projects the government has previously committed itself to, and is actually not new money. With only one in five projects in the 2016 National Infrastructure Pipeline under construction, this is just another reminder of how poor their record on delivering on their investment plans has become.
“The reality is that despite all the hype from the government, this announcement will really end up being more like an infrastructure pipe dream.”
In addition to the general infrastructure work offered by the government, there is a specific focus on transport with the development of the Transport Infrastructure Efficiency Taskforce (TIET), chaired by Crossrail CEO Andrew Wolstenholme.
The recommendation was made by the efficiency strategy which includes input from Crossrail, Highways England, High Speed Two Ltd, Network Rail, TfL and the DfT.
Wolstenholme says he hopes TIET will allow the transport sector to “collaborate across transport bodies and central government to deliver a step change in the way we drive out efficiencies from our investment programmes.”