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Momentum on infrastructure delivery must be maintained, Logistics UK says
Stop-start investment in transport infrastructure must be avoided, Logistics UK has said following the announcement of a record £40 billion of capital investment over the next two financial years by Transport Secretary Mark Harper MP last week (9 March 2023).
“Logistics businesses want to see ambition in infrastructure delivery, so they can deliver greater productivity and reduced emissions for the country," said Kate Jennings, Director of Policy, Logistics UK, “We recognise the pressures that have brought about these delays, however it is essential to maintain momentum on delivery and avoid a stop-start investment, which reduces business certainty, adds cost to projects and brings economic costs in terms of reduced efficiency of the network.”
HS2, road investment schemes and other ambitious infrastructure projects are vital for unlocking economic growth across the country, the business group argued, and once delivered will mean more capacity on the transport network, fewer inefficient delays from congestion and more opportunities for modal shift, enabling a cut in carbon emissions.
With the conventional rail network at capacity, Logistics UK maintains that HS2 represents the greatest opportunity for delivering a substantial increase in capacity for rail freight in the UK, holding the potential to release capacity on the existing network for up to 144 extra freight trains per day.
Rail is key to realising decarbonisation targets too, Logistics UK argues. With each freight train able to do the job of 77 HGVs, maximising the capacity for modal shift to rail is vital for meeting decarbonisation targets.
On road infrastructure, Logistics UK registered its disappointment on delays to the planned road upgrades to the A27 at Arundel and A5036 in Liverpool. These were disappointing, Jennings said, owing both to the disruption which logistics operators will continue to experience and the delays which local residents will continue to suffer. The A27 is a major route for trade along the south coast to Portsmouth and Southampton, while the A5036 provides vital access to the Port of Liverpool.
“Logistics businesses need assurance that these projects will be delivered,” Jennings concluded, “That is why Logistics UK is calling for a 30-year infrastructure plan to optimise the national freight network, which underpins UK economic growth and productivity every day.”
*www.logistics.org.uk/campaigns/better-infrastructure
Published On: 16/03/2023 16:00:05
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In brief
LOGISTICS UK SUPPORTS INTRODUCTION OF LIFELONG LOAN ENTITLEMENT
Logistics UK was encouraged by the government’s announcement last week (7 March 2023) on the introduction of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE), which will shape the provision of student finance in the UK and create opportunities for higher education.
“We support the government’s ambition to achieve parity between technical and academic study, and to provide greater support for adults’ upskilling and reskilling,” said Jonas Keat, Policy Advisor for Skills, Logistics UK, “Technical skills are already in high demand in the logistics industry, and as the UK transitions to net zero and becomes increasingly automated, it is vital that we have a flexible system which makes retraining and upskilling a more attractive and convenient option for adult learners to bridge the skills gaps emerging in our sector.”
www.logistics.org.uk/skills
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