Civil engineering contractors are today calling on all newly elected politicians to ensure our infrastructure meets the public need following last week’s local elections.
The results indicated a significant change in the political landscape, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats gaining a record number of new seats from the Conservatives.
Today, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has urged newly elected representatives to seize the nettle and drive the levelling-up agenda for the benefit of businesses and communities in all parts of the country.
We call on local representatives to:
- Deliver existing project pipelines, maintain investment commitments and champion future infrastructure growth.
- Call for an 18 month ‘fix’ on investment in the period before and after elections.
- Support the development of a high-level English Transport Strategy which works with Sub-National Transport Bodies (including Transport for London), integrates with the devolved nations and delivers firm five-year capital settlements complemented by indicative five-year funding.
- Establish industry-led local infrastructure and construction partnerships to support the evolution of Local Enterprise Partnerships.
- Lobby to reinstate plans for the delivery of HS2 in full, the acceleration of the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Transpennine route.
Commenting, CECA Director of Operations Marie-Claude Hemming said: “The local election results show the public is more than ready for something new. For too long regional and local infrastructure investment has suffered, impacting on growth and outcomes.
“Potholes are a case in point, with more than half the local road network having fifteen years or less of structural life remaining.
“What we need now is a firm commitment from our local representatives that they will put infrastructure back at the heart of policy making, and we stand ready to work with our members to ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget.
“We want local representatives in all parts of the country to work with each other and our national governments to ensure the trust placed in them by voters is repaid through the delivery of new and upgraded infrastructure – which will create jobs, drive economic growth, and lead to better outcomes for us all.”
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PRESS RELEASE – Local Elections Winners Must Back Infrastructure For Growth – Immed. 7 May 2024