The government is promising over £100 billion of new investment in British infrastructure over the next five years in moves that could boost the farming, science and logistics sectors.
A first-ever National Infrastructure Delivery Plan was unveiled this week with the promise of growing the economy and improving opportunites for people across the country. The plan is part of a total £483 billion investment, working together with the private sector, in over 600 projects and programmes by 2020-21.
The 113-page report details planned investment across areas as wide-ranging as transport, housing, communications, science, water and social infrastructure.
It includes details of a £15bn investment to support Highways England in transforming the Strategic Road Network with 100 major schemes and the further rollout of smart motorways. There are also plans to establish a £15m 'connected corridor' from London to Dover to allow vehicles to communicate wirelessly with infrastructure.
So-called 'truck platooning' - whereby two wireslessly connected lorries travel closely behind one other to save money on fuel - will also be trialled.
Some £75m is being allocated to develop the case for a Trans-Pennine tunnel between Sheffield and Manchester.
Other key points of interest to the food and farming industry include:
- at least £50m allocated for innovation in energy storage
- up to £730m of support auctioned for offshort wind and other less-established renewable technologies
- the government, working together with the private sector, will establish a new Broadband Investment Fund
- more than £700m of extra cash will be allocated to flood defences by 2021, and there will be a further £130m for repairing transport infrastructure damaged by storms Desmond and Eva.
The plans received a warm welcome from the Freight Transport Association. Its director of policy Karen Dee said: “The government is right to put so much emphasis on infrastructure – these networks are crucial to delivering economic growth. Transport improvements represent a large proportion of the projects, which is vital for a trading nation that relies on the movement of goods and services.
“Given the unprecedented levels of governmentand private sectorfunds being made available, it is essential to ensure efficient andeffective delivery of projects.The National InfrastructureDeliveryPlan isawelcome development as it presents a co-ordinated and comprehensive view of what needs to be delivered over the next few years and establishes a processfor identifying what comes next.”
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