The transport sector is reacting to the Government’s Spending Review, in which Chancellor Rachel Reeves has committed to spending £24bn of capital funding to road maintenance between 2026 and 2030,
Rachel Ellison, advisory and programme development managing director for UK and Europe at Mott MacDonald, has responded:
“Plans to spend £113bn on infrastructure provides certainty to the construction industry and ultimately enables us to realise the positive social outcomes that for the communities we serve. This commitment, along with the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy that we expect to see published later this month, delivers a strong pipeline of work that will allow us to invest in innovations and the careers of the people who will deliver this work.
“As an industry, we now have the opportunity to work together to effectively deliver these programmes, projects and interventions as part of an integrated strategy giving the public confidence in our ability to deliver the expected outcomes.”
Mott MacDonald water and environment managing director for UK & Europe Tim Hill urged for climate resilience to be ‘baked’ into the planned infrastructure investments:
“The spending plans announced today represent a significant opportunity to deliver differently and ensure climate resilience is built into everything we do. This approach will maximise the benefits for society but achieving that will require a more
strategic, systems thinking approach than ever before. As an example of the change needed, we must move away from projects like sustainable drainage being planned on a site-by-site basis, to a more regional, catchment-level scale to create the biggest benefit in terms of resilience. Investment must be driven by greatest whole life value to society and not just at lowest capital cost.”
Thomas Knight, transport market lead for UK and Europe at Mott MacDonald, added:
“Government’s renewed and increased commitment to transport infrastructure investment will deliver transformational projects like East West Rail, the Midlands Rail Hub and the TransPennine Route Upgrade.
“These schemes, alongside the four-year funding settlement with Transport for London, will not only strengthen the UK’s long-term economic resilience, but also help unlock the full potential of towns and cities across the country. Confirmation that Northern Powerhouse Rail will feature in the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy is also encouraging.”
Alison Edwards, Director of Policy and External Relations at CPT said:
“Transport is fundamental in kickstarting economic growth. Buses, in particular, enable 11 million people every day to get to work, to access education and to spend money in local high streets. Today the Chancellor stated her commitment to improve the journeys people make every day with the promise of a four times’ increase in local transport grants by the end of this Parliament. Buses, which are Britain’s favourite form of public transport, must receive their fair share of this capital funding. They are great value for money; every pound dedicated to buses generates a return to the economy of £4.55.
“While most passengers already pay less than the £3 cap, we recognise that low headline fares are an important part of the mix to enhance buses’ appeal, so the industry will again work closely with governmentto make the latest extension to the fare cap work. But affordability is only one part of the picture. Good bus services improve life in communities across the country and are vital for social and economic inclusion. They improve people’s health, combat loneliness and revive footfall in town centres.
“The bus network outside London costs £3.5 billion to run. While bus fares pay for most of this, the social importance of transport is such that councils need to step in and support the cost of certain services. Operators will continue to work hard with local authorities to ensure that all funding allocated to buses is used effectively and that bus passengers get a fair deal.”
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said:
“Giving councils the certainty of longer-term funding to fix their roads is something we’ve called for many years, so this is excellent news. Local authorities now have a golden opportunity to end the cycle of merely filling potholes and instead begin to be much more proactive in their maintenance. This must include both more surface dressing to keep decent roads in good condition and resurfacing those that are at the end of their lives. It’s incumbent on councils to grasp this new opportunity and show all road users how it’s making a genuine difference in the quality of the roads they use every day.”
“ITS UK welcomes today’s investment in the UK’s transport infrastructure, including funding for new and upgraded rail projects, £24 billion for motorways and roads, £750 billion for bus services, £2.3 billion for the Local Transport Grant and £616 million to maintain and improve active travel infrastructure, said ITS UK Chief Executive Max Sugarman. “These are all valuable investments, which will support the backbone of our transport network.
“ITS UK will be looking over the coming weeks to further understand the role of technology, data and digital services within these funding settlements. Crucially, this will require not just capital investment, but also the ability of transport authorities to procure ‘software as a service’ tools, using operational expenditure to enable the use of new technology to the fullest.
“Through technology, we can ensure this investment is maximised, and that the intelligent transport sector plays its part in delivering a connected, seamless, safe, green and efficient network.”
