NIC says current plans fall 鈥榳ell short鈥� of requirements

Managed motorways, roads, highways, highway, toll

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The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has highlighted seven areas of infrastructure activity which it believes the government has failed to deliver, as part of the first National Infrastructure Assessment.

The NIC, headed by Labour peer and former transport minister Lord Adonis, said current plans and policy frameworks 鈥渇all well short of what will be required if the UK is to have the infrastructure it needs to support its long-term prosperity and quality of life鈥�.

A 218 page , 鈥楥ongestion, Capacity, Carbon: Priorities for National Infrastructure鈥�, calls for ideas on how to solve the issues facing the country.

The NIC has launched the consultation which effectively throws the spotlight on seven elements: the creation of fast, digital data services; 鈥榗onnected鈥� regions; the delivery of new homes; a low-carbon economy; revolutionising road transport; reducing flood risk, and finance infrastructure spending effectively.

Adonis said infrastructure modernisation was not only the responsibility of the state and central government, and that 鈥渓eadership and investment must also be a top priority for regional, city and local government across the UK鈥�.

The NIC report said that its first assessment 鈥渃annot cover every important issue, but addressing these seven priorities will equip the UK with the infrastructure it most needs.

鈥淪ubsequent assessments, one every Parliament, will be able to consider wider issues and new challenges.鈥�

Patricia Moore, Turner & Townsend鈥檚 managing director of infrastructure, said the NIA had 鈥渟et out a bold vision鈥�, but needed to move on to delivery. 鈥淲e must focus on how we address these priorities while working in a market with constrained resources.

鈥淕overnment needs to facilitate both foreign and home-grown investment into the sector, encouraging a diversity of funding methods which reflect the needs of specific schemes.

鈥淚t also needs to de-risk private sector investment in the form of policy support for the projects the assessment sets out.鈥�

Responses to the consultation can be delivered here, by 12 January 2018.

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