West manufacturers are calling for significantly increased investment in roads, regional airports and port capacity as part of a radical overhaul of the approach to the UK’s transport infrastructure.
The call is made on the back of a survey, published, by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation showing the potential threat from the UK’s stretched infrastructure to business competitiveness and exports.
The survey comes ahead of the publication of the Government’s transport strategy and Spending Review this summer.
EEF region director Phil Brownsord said: “Political prevarication and policy reversals have left Britain in the slow lane in developing its infrastructure for decades.
“The forthcoming transport strategy is an opportunity to address this. Government must reassess its investment priorities, act faster on major issues like airport capacity and take the politics out of infrastructure by setting up an independent commission.
“In particular, the road network is the backbone of the economy but, it has been neglected. We are now feeling the ill effects, with the majority of firms reporting that the state of the nation’s roads is significantly increasing their operating costs. Investment should be targeted at shovel-ready maintenance projects and bringing forward upgrades to heavily congested arteries.
“Furthermore world-class air links are critical to export-led growth and attracting inward investment. To keep up with the competition we need investment across the board, in Heathrow and in regional airports. Maintaining our status as a global aviation hub is critical to our international standing and expanding runway capacity at Heathrow is the most viable way to secure this.”
Key survey findings
• Four-fifths of manufacturers identify the road network as critical to their business.
• Half of manufacturers say that the state of the UK’s roads significantly increases their operating costs.
• Three-quarters of export-intensive manufacturers identify aviation infrastructure as important to identifying new business opportunities.
• Half of foreign-owned manufacturing businesses say aviation is a key factor in deciding where to invest.
• Two-thirds of export-intensive manufacturers identify investment in road access to international gateways, such as ports, as critical to their growth.
• A third of the most export-intensive firms say the state of the UK’s port infrastructure has significantly increased their operating costs.
• Less than a quarter of manufacturers say investment in high-speed rail is important to their company’s growth.
