Commenting on the UK government's 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy announced today,
Dr Steve Denton FREng, Vice President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Chair of the National Engineering Policy Centre’s Ageing Infrastructure Working Group, said:
“It’s encouraging to see the ambition in the government’s 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy as the country strives to build more homes, deliver clean power and drive economic growth.
“There will understandably be a lot of attention on plans for new infrastructure, but maintaining the infrastructure we already have, from local bridges to national highways, is equally important - taking care of our ageing infrastructure by keeping it reliable and resilient has benefits for people, the environment and the economy and is vital to avoid disruption in people’s daily lives, from travel to water supply. The Strategy’s increased support for existing infrastructure and strengthened resilience standards is therefore a crucial and welcome intervention. High-quality accessible data and digital integration is another critical component of an effective infrastructure strategy, to help understand the health of our infrastructure assets and manage changing demands.
“We stand ready to support the government to get the best value for money from its investment in existing infrastructure, including the new Structures Fund, informed by our National Engineering Policy Centre project on Ageing Infrastructure, which will report in the autumn.
“Ultimately, a more joined-up approach to implementation is required. Considering public and economic infrastructure together with industrial strategy, environmental improvement and spatial planning will help to improve decision-making.”
Notes for editors
- The National Engineering Policy Centre brings engineering thinking to the heart of policymaking, creating positive impacts for society. We are a partnership of 42 professional engineering organisations that cover the breadth and depth of our profession, led by the Royal Academy of Engineering. Together we provide insights, advice, and practical policy recommendations on complex national and global challenges.
- The Royal Academy of Engineering creates and leads a community of outstanding experts and innovators to engineer better lives. As a charity and a Fellowship, we deliver public benefit from excellence in engineering and technology and convene leading businesspeople, entrepreneurs, innovators and academics across engineering and technology. As a National Academy, we provide leadership for engineering and technology, and independent, expert advice to policymakers in the UK and beyond.