The Second National Infrastructure Assessment - October 2023

The UK has made major changes to infrastructure before — from building the electricity ‘supergrid’ in the 1950s to constructing the strategic road network in the 1960s and 70s — and can do so again. [...] One of the reasons for this poor economic performance in recent years is low levels of investment in the UK economy compared to international peers: in the 40 years to 2019, investment in the UK averaged around 19 per cent of GDP, the lowest in the G7. [...] The challenges ahead 24 National Infrastructure Commission The Second National Infrastructure Assessment Economic infrastructure is pivotal to addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the UK: decarbonising the economy, boosting economic growth, and improving resilience and the environment. [...] Part of this comes from improvements in the way infrastructure projects are delivered including the approach to procurement, construction and project management, the use of digital tools, and the capability of government and other infrastructure operators to act as an intelligent client. [...] A quarter of respondents felt that supporting regional growth to rebalance the economy should be a key factor in shaping the vision for the UK’s infrastructure.59 The research also found that the impact of infrastructure on the environment was the most important consideration that the public wanted prioritised in infrastructure planning.