UK infrastructure planning needs long-term approach, says ICE

ICE director of policy Chris Richards said the UK’s stop/start approach to major infrastructure benefitted no-one.

“We need long-term plans, supported by evidence, long-term thinking on financing options, and robust and consistent policy to achieve desired outcomes,” he said.

In his speech at the Conservative Party conference, Sunak outlined how the money saved from scrapping a large part of HS2 would be redirected to other projects around the country, especially in the Midlands and the north of England, but Richards questioned the success of these projects.

“The prime minister outlined several projects and schemes in his speech,” said Richards. “Many of these projects aren’t new, and many have been previously caught in this stop/start cycle of decision-making, which drives up costs. This is likely to happen again.

“Changing direction and switching projects delays businesses and communities from benefitting from infrastructure investment. These positive outcomes are how we should be measuring success, not just by lowest cost to deliver.

“The National Infrastructure Commission will publish its second National Infrastructure Assessment in a few weeks. Before politicians rush off to make the same mistakes again on infrastructure, they should pause, look at the commission’s advice and use this as a long-term plan to prioritise investment and rebuild credibility,” said Richards.

On BBC Radio 4’s PM programme yesterday evening, National Infrastructure Commission chair Sir John Armitt confirmed the government had not told the organisation it was cancelling the remainder of the high-speed rail project.

In a statement on the commission’s website, Sir John described the decision as “deeply disappointing”.

“High Speed 2 was part of a long-term strategy with clear objectives to link up some of the country’s largest cities. It had been planned for almost 15 years and under construction since 2017.

“The decision to stop the legs north and east of Birmingham is deeply disappointing, leaving a major gap in the UK’s rail strategy around which a number of city regions have been basing their economic growth plans,” said Sir John.

“A High Speed 2 route between Manchester and London via Birmingham, alongside Northern Powerhouse Rail, would have enabled increased capacity and better connectivity both north-south and east-west.

“While it is welcome that the money will be redirected into rail and other transport projects for the North and Midlands, it’s not yet clear how the collection of schemes announced today will address the gap left behind by HS2. It will be for government to show it can turn the schemes into a coherent, long-term rail strategy and deliver it in a cost-effective manner, in partnership with local leaders.”