Major report on infrastructure argues Highways Agency should be given five-year settlements.
The government lacks a 鈥渟trategic vision鈥� for infrastructure and its 鈥渙bjectives are often unclear鈥�, a report by the Institution of Civil Engineers has concluded.
said the government had 鈥渟hied away from鈥� decision on the future funding of the road network; improving the condition other UK鈥檚 roads and how to improve aviation capacity.
It said the government needed to make a 鈥減rompt and clear decision鈥� on airport capacity when the Davies Commission, which is currently investigating the topic, makes its recommendations to government in 2015.
ICE recommended that the government create an independent infrastructure commission to inform strategy development.
It also said there should be a series of city or regional integrated transport bodies, similar to Transport for London, with overarching responsibility for city transport plans and with democratic accountability.
It recommended the government give five-year funding settlements to the Highways Agency to end a pattern of stop/start investment in England鈥檚 roads to improve the nation鈥檚 transport infrastructure.
Steven Hayter, chair of report鈥檚 panel, said transport was crucial to 鈥渢he UK鈥檚 ability to generate and sustain economic growth鈥� but the most important issues were 鈥渟till unresolved鈥�.
He added: 鈥淭he need for a coherent, long term transport strategy - particularly for England - is becoming urgent. Without one, investments and improvements to the networks will continue to be delayed, uncertain, expensive to deliver and inefficient.
He said bringing forward a green paper on ownership and funding of strategic roads would show it was serious about infrastructure.
Hayter added: 鈥淭he decision making framework needs a 鈥榮hake up鈥� if we are to see the transport infrastructure we need actually get delivered and within reasonable timescales.鈥�
Transport minister Stephen Hammond said the government was 鈥渓ooking for new ways to run our national strategic roads network, drawing on the best experience from other sectors and countries鈥�.
鈥淲e hope to make an announcement on this work shortly,鈥� he said.
鈥淭his report is a useful and informed contribution to the debate on how to get the best from our transport network.鈥�
State of the Nation: Transport report鈥檚 key recommendations
- Create a joint programme of work with highways authorities
- Five-year funding settlement for the Highways Agency to end stop/start investment cycles
- Bring forward proposals for funding the strategic roads network
- Develop a national transport strategy for England
- Creat and Independent Infrastructure Commission to develop infrastructure strategy
- Draw-up a performance specification for the UK鈥檚 transport systems
- Create a Transport Futures board to explore far reaching issues such as how we pay for travel
- Give greater responsibility for roads in city areas to democratically accountable transport bodies
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