National Infrastructure Commission chair John Armitt says ripping up plans amid crisis over rising bills will increase costs in future
The government鈥檚 chief infrastructure advisor has told ministers to stop chopping and changing their plans for major long term projects including rail upgrades and insulation for homes.
John Armitt said that resisting 鈥渢oo many shifts of gear鈥� would provide certainty to industry operators, supply chains and the public amid a rapidly worsening cost of living crisis.
He made the comments yesterday evening in a speech at the Institution of Civil Engineers in Westminster to the all party parliamentary group for infrastructure, a month ahead of chancellor Rishi Sunak鈥檚 spring forecast statement.
Last year the government scrapped HS2鈥檚 拢40bn eastern leg from the West Midlands to Leeds and significantly downgraded the 拢39bn Northern Powerhouse Rail link.
The heat and buildings strategy, published in October, also failed to provide any detail on a national retrofit programme to install energy-saving improvements to the UK鈥檚 28 million homes.
The decarbonisation of buildings is seen as a crucial element of the government鈥檚 plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
Armitt, who is the chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, told MPs that 鈥渞ipping up鈥� plans because of concerns over the rising cost of living could end up increasing overall costs in future.
He said: 鈥淭he challenge is how to keep pace with investing for the future, while bringing the public 鈥� taxpayers and bill payers 鈥� with us on the journey.
鈥淭he transition to net zero must be fair if it is going to be accepted by the public.
鈥淒ucking this challenge now will delay the outcomes that people want to see; and in many instances, increase overall costs.鈥�
He added that ministers need to be 鈥渙pen and honest鈥� with the public about the costs of the 鈥渂ig shifts鈥� needed in infrastructure, and also about the costs of inaction.
He said: 鈥淩esisting too many shifts of gear lends certainty to operators, supply chains 鈥� and the public. And it crucially helps crowd in private investment.
鈥淪o my call to the chancellor and fellow ministers is perhaps an unusual one: stick with the plan you鈥檝e set out and let鈥檚 get on with policy design and with delivery.鈥�
Sunak鈥檚 spring statement, expected on 23 March, will be published against a backdrop of skyrocketing energy bills, rising inflation and tax hikes.
He will likely reveal the latest figures for inflation, which have already hit a 30-year high of 5.5% and are set to top 7% in the next few months.
No comments yet