New plans will
revolutionise British infrastructure and boost the construction sector’s
productivity in a move that could generate savings of £15 billion a year.
The plans were
revealed alongside the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, which
sets out projects for the next 10 years.
This £600 billion
pipeline includes both public and private investment. It will give certainty to
industry that there is great appetite to develop infrastructure and will
encourage the sector to invest in the right technology and skills to meet this
demand.
The Transforming
Infrastructure Performance programme sets out how the government will
ensure these projects are delivered swiftly and efficiently. It contains
ambitious plans to transform infrastructure delivery over the long-term, using
the government’s influence to drive modern methods of construction so Britain
can lead the world in high-tech building. The Transport
Infrastructure Efficiency Strategy sets out how these lessons will be
applied to drive efficiency and productivity in transport.
The government is a
major player in construction and delivers many projects every year, such as
transport, schools, prisons and hospitals. This accounts for a quarter of all
construction projects, and using this purchasing power will enable ministers to
drive innovation and encourage firms to invest in modern methods and
technology.
Methods such as
off-site manufacturing, where projects are part-constructed before being
assembled on location, can boost productivity by reducing waste by 90% and
speed up delivery times by more than half (60%). For example, a school that
typically takes a year to build could be done in just over 4 months.
The announcements
tackle this head on and give the sector the certainty to start investing in the
right technology and skills.
Tony Meggs, Chief
Executive of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), said:
"Publishing our Transforming Infrastructure Performance (TIP) programme
today demonstrates our commitment to tackling the annual £15 billion
productivity gap in construction. The IPA has a significant role to play in
helping to create a more productive and innovative sector.
"We want to
maintain confidence in the sector and will work alongside industry, using our
purchasing power to drive the adoption of modern methods of construction in
both new and existing infrastructure. The scale of ambition is great but by
aligning our initiatives we can work with industry to deliver transformation
for the sector."
Director General of
ICE Nick Baveystock said that productivity, quality of life and the ability to
face future challenges depends on the right high-performing infrastructure
assets being managed in a coordinated way.
"Through the
Transforming Infrastructure Performance (TIP) programme, Department for
Transport’s Infrastructure Efficiency Strategy and the commitment to £600
billion investment over the next ten years, government has made a long term,
strategic commitment to an infrastructure system for a modern economy," he
added.
