Infrastructure body publishes 鈥榤anifesto for infrastructure鈥�

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has published a 鈥榤anifesto for infrastructure鈥� containing ten policy recommendations it hopes the main political parties will adopt ahead of May鈥檚 general election.

ICE warns failing to make infrastructure a priority could result in 鈥渙ther competing nations taking our edge and the UK鈥檚 resilience diminishing鈥�.

The ICE鈥檚 manifesto calls on the next government to establish a 鈥渓ong term vision for UK infrastructure and a framework that puts the vision above political fault lines鈥�, partly by creating an independent infrastructure body to assess the UK鈥檚 infrastructure need, .

It also urges the next government to boost city regions and rebalance growth, to 鈥渇uture proof鈥� infrastructure by embedding climate change resilience into decision making, and to boost training of engineers.

ICE director general Nick Baveystock said: 鈥淭his is no time for the faint hearted - the next Government must establish a long-term vision for infrastructure and a framework that facilitates cross-party consensus.

鈥淲e need to build the UK鈥檚 resilience, rebalance growth, and secure a world class engineering workforce.

鈥淭here are also some tough decisions ahead - not least on the UK鈥檚 aviation policy and our future energy mix.

鈥淏ut with concerted political commitment, challenges can become opportunities, and we can deliver the infrastructure we need for the 21st Century and beyond.鈥�

ICE Manifesto鈥檚 10 recommendations

  • Create an independent infrastructure body - ideally by restructuring existing Treasury body Infrastructure UK to reduce delay and uncertainty
  • Act swiftly and boldly on the Davies Commission recommendations, paving the way for delivery and avoiding further delay in resolving the UK鈥檚 aviation hub issues
  • Work with local authorities to clear the road maintenance backlog and commit to a planned, preventative maintenance regime - addressing defects on a more long-term 鈥榲alue for money鈥� basis
  • 鈥淔uture proof鈥� new infrastructure by embedding resilience - and the 鈥渄omino effect鈥� across networks when one system fails - into criteria used to make decisions on which projects go ahead
  • Implement Energy Market Reform fully and smoothly with changes kept to a minimum, to entrench cross-party support for electricity decarbonisation
  • Commit to a long-term maintenance investment programme for flood risk management
  • Accelerate the devolution of transport powers by creating city-region transport authorities responsible for roads and all public transport, supported by a national transport strategy for England
  • Commit to increasing the quality - not just the quantity - of apprenticeships so those on schemes achieve a qualification which sets them up for life, and the UK benefits from a pipeline of talent
  • Ensure Ofsted rigorously inspects schools鈥� careers guidance so the range of 鈥淪TEM鈥� paths available, including vocational and technician roles, are communicated to students.
  • Establish an Office for Resource Management in Government to entrench a 鈥渃ircular economy鈥� ethos across all departments and promote resource management as a driver of growth

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