LONDON: Business leaders are calling for urgent action to tackle the UK’s “creaking” railways, “clogged” roads and “crowded” airport runways.
A study by the CBI showed that most firms are worried about how quickly infrastructure projects are being delivered.
Director-general John Cridland said the arteries of modern Britain were “working overtime”.
A survey of more than 700 firms found that virtually all of them said the quality of infrastructure was a key factor in investment decisions.
Almost two out of three expressed concern with the pace of progress, while just over half believe they will not see any necessary upgrades in the next five years.
The CBI said business has been encouraged by government moves such as the creation of the National Infrastructure Commission, but there was a pressing need for “thorny issues” to be tackled.
Mr Cridland said: “Whether it’s our creaking railways, clogged roads, and crowded runways, or our digital links and the energy to power them struggling to keep up, businesses now want the Government to deliver the large scale upgrades that it has made ambitious strides towards.
“Delivery of key projects – from where we build a new runway to how we power our industry and homes for the future – must be the crowning achievement of this Parliament. That doesn’t just mean taking the tough decisions for the long term. It means better planning and having the right skills in place to ensure there is seamless continuity from when the green light is given for action to getting spades in the ground.
Richard Robinson, chief executive of technical services firm AECOM – which helped with the research, added: “Political procrastination over infrastructure threatens economic growth and jeopardises investment. When infrastructure decisions are deferred, business takes the hit.
The challenge for Government is to build business confidence, fostering a financial and operational climate that accelerates delivery.”
Virtually every business expressed concern about congestion on roads, which is estimated to cost the economy £8 billion a year.
Almost three out of four said they were open to the idea of road charging, while just under half of those polled believed spending on the railways should be increased.
A Treasury spokesman said: “From housing, to railways to power stations, this government is committed to investing in high quality infrastructure. That’s why we will continue to invest in major projects over the next five years and why the Chancellor has just announced a new independent National Infrastructure Commission to give an unbiased analysis of Britain’s long term infrastructure needs.”
