Civils contractors have responded to today’s Budget by calling on the UK Government to go all-out for growth, and back the infrastructure sector to rebuild Britain.
The Chancellor’s Budget confirms that public investment will be maintained, and announced major programmes for roads, rail and energy.
Highlights included £890 million for the Lower Thames Crossing, continued delivery of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, additional investment through the Transport for City Regions Fund, new devolved funding and finance tools for the Mayoral Strategic Authorities, and a step-up in local roads maintenance – with funding rising to more than £2 billion a year by 2029-30 for local authorities to repair and renew local roads and tackle potholes.
Commenting, Director of Policy & Public Affairs Ben Goodwin said: “Contractors will welcome the message in this Budget that infrastructure investment is central to the UK’s growth strategy.
“We are particularly pleased to see that Government has listened to industry, and decided not to go ahead with converging rates of Landfill Tax – a proposed reform that would have severely hamstrung the ability of CECA members to deliver projects cost-effectively.
“The decision not to go ahead with such a ruinous policy is a result of listening to industry, and for that we applaud the Government, in seeking to build consensus on building a better future for Britain.
“In the context of the UK’s fiscal position, infrastructure investment is not a luxury – it is the foundation for long-term growth. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s warning that UK productivity continues to lag behind international peers must be a wake-up call.
“Commitments on the Lower Thames Crossing, the Transpennine Route Upgrade, city-region transport and local roads will all support jobs, improve connectivity and boost productivity.
“But CECA members are still operating in what our latest Workload Trends Survey describes as a ‘two-speed’ industry, with energy and utilities holding up while roads, rail and other core sectors lag behind. The test of this Budget will be whether these high-level commitments translate rapidly into a visible, funded pipeline of deliverable projects.
“We need clear, stable investment programmes, backed by fair procurement models and a skills system that lets employers invest in the workforce needed to deliver.
“Infrastructure investment is the single most effective lever the Chancellor has to grow the economy sustainably – and the most cost-effective way of improving the lives of people across England, Scotland and Wales.
“The Government must turn the page on the period of uncertainty and froth that has characterised the weeks leading up to today’s Budget. Now is the time to get down to business, partner with industry, and drive the nation forward – by building a better future for businesses and communities, and a brighter future for UK plc.”
< ENDS >
