Infrastructure providers are concerned that they cannot deliver the government’s roads improvement strategy (RIS), according to the findings in a CBI/AECOM survey.
It found that despite 95% of the 728 businesses surveyed seeing delivery of the RIS as important to the country’s economic growth, 71% of providers are not confident, or not at all confident, in their capacity to deliver it.
The report said that historic levels of investment in roads, including major improvement projects on the A14, M6 and M62, have brought challenges in terms of delivery.
It also found that 34% of infrastructure providers are concerned that projects are already not on course.
Blame is apportioned to “teething problems” in Highways England’s procurement strategy.
CBI director general Carolyn Fairbairn said: “It isn’t right that nearly one in two firms are dissatisfied with their region’s infrastructure, or that confidence in the future is running low, especially when it comes to delivery, the key piece of the infrastructure puzzle.
“If we don’t get spades in the ground on existing plans, it’s clear we could put a major dent in the competitiveness of British business – and the UK itself. This is something we cannot afford do, especially during this period of uncertainty as the UK leaves the EU.”
