The Government must build a coherent approach to improve
infrastructure across the country and avoid the risk of regions
being left behind whilst others pull ahead in a two-speed
England, according to a new report from the CBI.
With record levels of public investment in the
transport system, and a commitment to developing major projects –
such as HS2, Crossrail and the new runway at Heathrow – the
Government has shown a strong will to improve infrastructure
across the country. Transport has also become a key feature of
the devolution agenda, and Sub-national transport bodies (STBs,
such as Transport for the North) have been established to enable
areas to speak with one voice on their priorities.
But Driving Delivery: Turning plans into
action on regional infrastructure – the result of
discussions with a wide range of businesses and transport
organisations across England – identifies concerns that the
complexity of infrastructure decision-making and a lack of
transparency around how investment decisions are made are putting
the promise of greater connectivity at risk. To remedy this, the
UK’s largest business group is calling for:
-
A commitment in the upcoming Comprehensive Spending
Review to increase local transport funding and to consolidate
the number of funding pots for local transport
investment
-
Greater emphasis on future economic potential in
the Government’s infrastructure decision making to deliver
investment across regions
-
STBs for the South West and East of England, so all
parts of the country are represented, alongside clearer
expectations of their role
-
A framework from the Government enabling regions
and local leaders to make the most of the opportunities of
devolution
-
A cross-Whitehall Infrastructure Committee, to
better coordinate infrastructure planning, decision-making and
delivery across government departments.
Matthew Fell, CBI Chief UK Policy Director,
said:
“High quality and reliable infrastructure keeps the
economy moving, drives growth in our regions, and has a greater
impact on productivity than anything else. That is when it works,
and when it is there.
“Unfortunately, England’s infrastructure is a
patchwork quilt. It takes longer to get from Liverpool to Hull by
train than from London to Paris. Firms have identified the most
important projects across the country, but uncertainty and
complexity on infrastructure decision making is blocking
progress, deterring investors and holding back our regions from
fully realising their incredible potential.
“To set all regions up for success, we need a policy
environment that turns plans into action. Increasing the funding
allocated to local infrastructure in the Government’s
Comprehensive Spending Review, and having fewer, more impactful
spending pots would put genuine power in the hands of local
leaders. And where it’s the Government that holds the purse
strings on projects, there must be a clearer link between
regional growth and decisions that are taken, with STBs making
the case for all areas. If not, we risk some regions accelerating
ahead of others, creating a two-speed England.
“As we focus on being an outward-looking, trading
nation, we need world-beating regional infrastructure that
unlocks productivity and makes us the envy of our competitors.
Business and transport organisations will be the first to work
with the Government to achieve this.”
