2020 has seen billions of pounds of investment committed to the
UK’s transport infrastructure. As more than half of
infrastructure sector construction involves transport projects,
the Department for Transport is a key Government department in
appraising, managing and delivering transport infrastructure
projects.
Along with Crossrail, High Speed Two and the Road Investment
Strategy, the Department for Transport has a further 24 projects
on the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio. Some have seen
dramatic cost increases from their initial estimates and some
have stalled, such as the third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Today, the Transport Committee announces a new inquiry into the
appraisal and delivery of UK major transport infrastructure
projects to better understand what lessons can be learned and
applied.
The inquiry will consider transport infrastructure strategy and
priorities; the appraisal and funding of transport
infrastructure; oversight, accountability and governance of
transport infrastructure projects; factors influencing the cost
and capacity and skills required to deliver the infrastructure
plans.
The extent to which the coronavirus pandemic and its longer-term
implications will affect the necessity and cost-effectiveness of
current and future major transport infrastructure projects will
factor in the Committee’s work. The Government also has a legal
commitment to meet net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and
infrastructure is a major contributor to the UK’s greenhouse gas
emissions.
The Chair of the Transport Committee, , said:
“A vast amount of spending has been promised by the Government to
boost the economy and ‘level up’ across regions and nations. The
2020 budget promised £640bn of investment for projects across the
UK, boosted by a further £5bn to support economic regeneration
after the coronavirus pandemic. Most recently, the 2020 Spending
Review and the National Infrastructure Strategy committed
billions of pounds of investment in transport infrastructure, and
particularly, road and rail projects.
“The hefty pricetag on these transport infrastructure projects
brings an equally hefty responsibility on the Department for
Transport to ensure the money is spent fairly and projects are
managed and delivered well. This work will be set against a
backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic which has raised questions
about the continued value of some major transport projects. The
Government is also reviewing its guidance on best-practice
appraisal, known as the Green Book.
“Given the scale of the funding and the breadth of the projects,
this could be a time of tremendous opportunity for the Department
for Transport. The Transport Committee is keen to glean an
insight to Government thinking and practice on what could be a
new era for transport infrastructure - if delivered well.”
The Transport Committee is calling for written evidence
on all or some of the following terms of reference. The closing
date is January 15, 2021.
Transport infrastructure strategy and priorities
- The Government’s transport infrastructure priorities,
including those set out in the National Infrastructure Strategy;
- The contribution transport infrastructure can make to the
Government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda and the economic growth of the
UK’s towns, cities and regions outside London;
- To what extent the coronavirus pandemic and its longer-term
implications affects the necessity and cost-effectiveness of
current and future major transport infrastructure projects;
- How major transport projects can be delivered while ensuring
the Government meets its decarbonisation 2050 net-zero targets;
Appraisal and funding of transport infrastructure
- The effectiveness of the Government’s decision-making and
appraisal processes for transport infrastructure projects and any
changes required to the ‘Green Book’;
Oversight, accountability and governance of transport
infrastructure projects
- The Government’s role in the delivery of major transport
infrastructure projects, including whether the Department for
Transport has sufficient skills and expertise to oversee the
successful delivery of transport infrastructure;
- The relationship between the DfT and other Government
departments and agencies, devolved administrations, and the
private sector, in delivering major infrastructure projects;
Factors influencing the cost of transport infrastructure in the
UK
- The reasons for continual high costs of major transport
infrastructure projects, both past and present, and whether
projects could potentially be delivered in a more cost-effective
manner;
- What lessons can be learned from other countries in the
delivery of major transport infrastructure projects;
Transport infrastructure capacity and skills
- The extent to which there is enough capacity and the right
skills within the UK to deliver the Government’s transport
infrastructure plans, and options to help address shortages in
transport infrastructure skills.
Further information:
Climate Assembly UK: The Transport Committee was
one of the six commissioning committees of the first UK-wide
Climate Assembly, which published its report, The path to net
zero, in September 2020. A large majority of assembly
members (79%) ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ that, ‘steps taken by
the government to help the economy recover should be designed to
help achieve net zero’. When giving their rationale, their
recommendations included a desire for government to rethink and
invest in infrastructure. Read the
executive summary
