What are the pinch points to delivering on the UK’s infrastructure ambitions?

Last year, the UK government published its 10-year infrastructure strategy alongside a new industrial strategy, a new infrastructure pipeline and the outcome of its multi-year spending review.

Together, they set out ambitious plans for a huge increase in infrastructure investment to drive economic growth, regional rebalancing and the net zero transition.

The focus for the remainder of the current parliament will be on translating strategy into delivering at pace and scale, overseen by the new National Infrastructure and Transformation Service Authority (NISTA).

Success will depend on the capacity of the infrastructure ecosystem to respond to the government’s ambition.

However, the UK, like many countries, is grappling with a poor track record in project delivery.

The focus of the ICE’s policy work has therefore turned to improving infrastructure delivery.

This Next Steps Programme explored the structural and operational barriers – pinch points – that could constrain delivery of the government’s ambitions.

This final briefing paper draws on insight from experts gathered through interviews, roundtables and a panel event. It sets out the following key messages:

• The chief secretary to the Treasury should retain responsibility for delivery of the 10YIS, with mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability for delivery, to join up infrastructure-related strategies, policymaking and delivery bodies across government.
• Prioritise and incentivise investment in maintaining, adapting, upgrading and repurposing existing infrastructure to reduce new-build demand and promote resilience.
• Maintain pipeline and policy stability to foster collaborative, long-term relationships that build supply-chain resilience and reduce delivery costs.
• A stable pipeline should enable the development of a comprehensive, long-term skills plan, owned by Skills England, building on the positive work already underway, to grow and maintain a workforce aligned with the government’s long-term infrastructure objectives.
• Legislation is only part of the answer to planning delays. The system needs to be rationalised, with a focus on staff recruitment and retention, better use of digital technologies and more effective leadership and relationship-building.
• A clear and innovative approach to funding models, attractive rates of return and smarter risk sharing will boost the UK’s investor proposition.