As Rachel Reeves prepares to deliver her autumn budget on 30 October, Britain’s largest manufacturers have issued a stark warning: the country’s infrastructure has suffered a decade of decline, and urgent action is needed to boost economic growth. According to a survey conducted by Make UK, which represents 20,000 industrial businesses across the UK, more than half of manufacturers believe that the nation’s road infrastructure has deteriorated over the past 10 years. This deterioration has led to slower and more expensive processes for building and exporting British products.
The survey, which polled 390 firms, revealed that three-quarters of respondents consider good road networks crucial to supply chains. Moreover, over half disagreed with Rishi Sunak’s decision to scrap the northern leg of HS2, with disapproval rising to 61% in the north of England. Make UK’s report highlights that the poor quality of Britain’s roads has increased logistics costs, hindering labour mobility and access to skills.
The research also exposed significant regional disparities in infrastructure quality, with businesses in the north of England expressing the most criticism towards the state of the roads. On a positive note, the study found improvements in digital infrastructure over the past decade, thanks to investments by the previous government in 5G connectivity and other new technologies.
Despite this progress, Make UK emphasises that the chancellor must commit to long-term infrastructure projects to ensure the UK remains attractive to international businesses and investors. Stephen Phipson, the chief executive of Make UK, stated that following years of underinvestment, the new government needs to be bold in its infrastructure spending to drive productivity improvements.
Phipson called for an immediate focus on repairing A roads and motorways, with manufacturers wanting to see more local decision-making and support for local authorities to expedite planning processes. He also advocated for increased investment in local bus networks to connect out-of-town areas, providing more young people with opportunities to work in the well-paid manufacturing sector.
The Department for Transport acknowledged the poor state of local roads and pledged to tackle the issue head-on, committing to renewing the road network and helping local authorities fix up to 1 million more potholes a year. As the budget approaches, all eyes will be on Rachel Reeves to see if she heeds the call of Britain’s manufacturers and takes decisive action to address the nation’s infrastructure challenges.
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