The government is at risk of failing to deliver the aims of its National Infrastructure Strategy unless it ‘picks up the pace’ with detailed policy design and implementation, the UK’s official independent infrastructure adviser has warned.
The National Infrastructure Commission says that clear, long term goals are now in place across most infrastructure areas and gives credit for increased investment – a £100 billion commitment over the next three years, alongside an indication of increased spending in the long term.
The Commission’s annual review of government progress on infrastructure also notes that some of the advisory body’s key recommendations have been delivered this year, including the creation of the UK Infrastructure Bank, and that both gigabit broadband coverage and renewable electricity capacity have continued to increase.
However, ‘slow progress’ in other areas poses threats to achieving key objectives at the heart of the National Infrastructure Strategy, it says.
Delays to decisions on who pays are now holding up delivering infrastructure, including low carbon heat and energy efficiency
The government document, published in 2020, set out plans for infrastructure to help boost economic growth across all parts of the UK and meet the net zero emissions target by 2050.
Since that publication, “some of the strategies government has developed over the last year lack detailed delivery policy, leave key gaps, or simply do not go far enough,” says the report.
On waste, the Commission says government must deliver increased recycling rates by finalising policy on key areas such as extended producer responsibility (EPR), deposit return schemes (DRS), recycling consistency and bans on certain types of plastics.
It was recently announced that the commencement date for the phased introduction of extended producer responsibility has been delayed. Due to start in 2023, the government has yet to give a new start date.
A ‘tough ask’
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) welcomed the NIC’s assessment and said it shared their concerns regarding the stalling of recycling rates, which it says will make delivery of the government’s targets for England ‘a tough ask’.
“CIWM welcomes the NIC’s assessment of our sector’s improvement and shares their concerns regarding the stalling of recycling rates, which will undoubtedly make delivery of the governments recycling target for England of 65% by 2035 a tough ask,” it said in a statement.
“CIWM supports the NIC’s call for the government to begin the process of delivery on waste infrastructure and last year we welcomed the government’s announcement of £265 million in capital funding for local authority food waste collections. However, the delays to EPR, DRS and recycling consistency have not helped the sector to plan the infrastructure needed to deliver the government’s ambitious 25 Year Environment Plan.
“We hope that the expected Defra announcement on EPR later this month will be positive and that the sector can at last start moving forward on this important policy area.”
Priorities
It highlights ten priorities for the year ahead, including the ‘urgent’ need for a comprehensive energy efficiency push to insulate homes, devolved funding to more councils for local transport schemes, and the need to accelerate the roll out of electric vehicle charging points to ensure the 2030 date for the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars remains viable.
It assesses recent government activity against five tests: a long term perspective, clear goals and plans to achieve them, firm funding commitments, a genuine commitment to change, and action on the ground.
The Commission highlights the need for a pipeline of mass urban transit schemes beyond the planned development of such a project for West Yorkshire, and a rapid shift away from competitive bidding between councils for short term transport funding pots, towards long term devolved funding settlements.
The only way to address the stubbornly difficult problems that will not become any easier or cheaper to solve by delaying action – and the quicker we tackle them, the quicker society and our environment will reap the benefits.
The Commission’s report also flags the need for big decisions on how the net zero transition will be funded: “Ultimately, that will either be taxpayers, consumers, or a combination of both. But ensuring the costs are distributed fairly is critical.
“Delays to decisions on who pays are now holding up delivering infrastructure, including low carbon heat and energy efficiency. Open and honest conversations, followed by clear decisions, are needed to address this.”
Writing in the report’s foreword, Commission Chair Sir John Armitt says: “At a time of significant global volatility alongside concerns about rising living costs, we appreciate that sticking to a long term strategy is not easy.
“But it is the only way to address the stubbornly difficult problems that will not become any easier or cheaper to solve by delaying action – and the quicker we tackle them, the quicker society and our environment will reap the benefits.”