Civils contractors today said that the recognition of the role of social value of infrastructure projects in benchmarking project delivery will be a crucial aspect in evaluating the UK’s infrastructure needs in the coming years.
The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) has today published Best Practice in Benchmarking, which emphasises the need to ensure that infrastructure projects drive increases in productivity and improve environmental and social outcomes for citizens.
Commenting, Director of External Affairs for the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Marie-Claude Hemming said: “We welcome the steps the IPA has taken to implement a new regime of benchmarking projects.
“The use of data from a range of projects in benchmarking project delivery will better inform how investment in infrastructure should be deployed to maximise the benefits for businesses and communities across the UK.
“In particular, we are delighted to see that the IPA has recommended that the social and environmental outcomes of infrastructure investment are factored into investment decisions, which recent CECA research has highlighted as key to successfully making the business case for schemes that will rebalance the economy, drive economic growth, and transform the lives of their users.
“Investment decisions are best taken on a long-term basis to address future challenges and needs. By implementing a benchmarking regime that recognises the social and environmental benefits of infrastructure, the UK can move towards a more successful project delivery model that will benefit UK citizens and UK plc alike.”
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