The government is at risk of failing to deliver the aims of its National Infrastructure Strategy unless it picks up the pace with detailed policy design and implementation, the UK’s official independent infrastructure adviser has warned. 

The National Infrastructure Commission says that clear, long-term goals are now in place across most infrastructure areas and gives credit for increased investment – a £100 billion commitment over the next three years, alongside an indication of increased spending in the long term. 

The Commission’s annual review of government progress on infrastructure also notes that some of the advisory body’s key recommendations have been delivered this year, including the creation of the UK Infrastructure Bank, and that both gigabit broadband coverage and renewable electricity capacity have continued to increase. 

However, slow progress in other areas poses threats to achieving key objectives at the heart of the National Infrastructure Strategy. That government document, published in 2020, set out plans for infrastructure to help boost economic growth across all parts of the UK and meet the net zero emissions target by 2050. 

It highlights ten priorities for the year ahead, including the urgent need for a comprehensive energy efficiency push to insulate homes, devolved funding to more councils for local transport schemes, and the need to accelerate the roll out of electric vehicle charging points to ensure the 2030 date for the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars remains viable. 

It assesses recent government activity against five tests: a long-term perspective, clear goals and plans to achieve them, firm funding commitments, a genuine commitment to change, and action on the ground. 

Sir John Armitt, Commission Chair, says:

“At a time of significant global volatility alongside concerns about rising living costs, we appreciate that sticking to a long-term strategy is not easy.”

“But it is the only way to address the stubbornly difficult problems that will not become any easier or cheaper to solve by delaying action – and the quicker we tackle them, the quicker society and our environment will reap the benefits.”