NIC
Armitt: Speech to Utility Week Congress
Below is the full text of National Infrastructure Commission Chair Sir John Armitt’s keynote speech to the Utility Week Congress in Birmingham on 10 October. Check against delivery. This is an exciting time to live and work here in Birmingham. The regeneration of New Street station has transformed the look and feel of the city centre, and...
New water report highlights need for action on leakages and efficiency
An influential Commons select committee today calls for water companies to have powers for compulsory water metering – echoing the National Infrastructure Commission’s own findings. Currently, compulsory water metering is only permitted in water-stressed areas. But today’s report by the House of Commons environment, food and rural affairs select committee argues that this option should...
IPCC report shows need for urgent action on climate change
A new report from the InterGovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlights the need for urgent action – including on tackling the environmental impact of infrastructure. The report highlights the potential impact of global temperatures rising by more than 1.5C, and urges action including a switch to 80 per cent renewables by 2050, reducing coal use...
Enabling work near-complete on ‘vital’ East-West rail link
Enabling works are near completion on a key section of the former “Varsity Line” between Oxford and Cambridge today, reaching a milestone in meeting the National Infrastructure Commission’s recommendations for supporting future economic prosperity across the growth arc. The Commission’s “Partnering for Prosperity” report, published nearly a year ago, highlighted the need to improve both...
Rise in electric car sales shows need for truly national charging network
New figures today show a 3.9 per cent increase in the sale of electric, hybrid and hybrid plug-in cars in September compared with the same month last year, underlining the growing demand in the market – and the need for a truly, national visible charging network to enable growth in electric vehicle sales to continue in...
New regulation study to help find the right conditions for future infrastructure innovation
The National Infrastructure Commission is to examine regulation of the UK’s energy, telecoms and water industries, to ensure the necessary levels of investment and innovation whilst these critical services are kept affordable for everyone. The regulation study is expected to examine: What future changes will affect the regulated sectors: The National Infrastructure Assessment identified the...
Competition winners pave the way for Roads for the Future
Smart traffic lights and hi-tech public transport could become an everyday part of people’s journeys, according to ideas put forward by the joint winners of the national Roads for the Future competition announced today. The winners – City Science and Leeds City Council – will each receive £25,000 from a dedicated £50,000 prize fund. Offering...
Armitt: new funding welcome – but further devolution needed to boost local transport
Sir John Armitt today welcomed Government plans to invest £840 million in improving transport within 10 city regions across the UK – and urged ministers to go even further by devolving even more powers and funding to local leaders. The chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission said devolved funding for cities was a key recommendation from the...
National scheme would ‘help boost recycling rates’
A new BBC survey today highlights the various rules councils have for whether households can and cannot recycle certain plastics – underlining the need for a national scheme as recommended in the UK’s first ever National Infrastructure Assessment. The survey finds that there are 39 different rules applied by councils over what plastics can and...
Investing in the resilience of the UK’s water supply
Our Commissioner Dame Kate Barker writes in the latest issue of Environment Magazine, produced by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, on the need to invest in and improve the resilience of the UK’s water supply network, particularly in light of the challenges highlighted by this year’s long hot summer. Her article can be read here. ...
Expressway decision could help boost long-term prosperity of Growth Arc
The Government today announced the defined corridor for the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway – as part of wider efforts to meet the long term economic potential of the area identified by the National Infrastructure Commission. Roads Minister Jesse Norman confirmed Corridor B as the preferred choice. It follows publication of the National Infrastructure Commission’s report into maximising the potential of the...
Armitt: speech to London Infrastructure Summit
Below is the full text of National Infrastructure Commission Chair Sir John Armitt’s keynote speech to the London Infrastructure Summit on 12 September in London. Check against delivery. “The history of our capital’s infrastructure is filled with stories of world-firsts, projects whose working lives have far surpassed original predictions, and feats of design and engineering...
Government action needed for truly national charging network
The Prime Minister today unveiled a £200 million investment in charging points for electric vehicles – but the National Infrastructure Assessment highlights further steps that are needed to create a truly national charging network. In a speech to the Zero Emissions Vehicles summit in Birmingham, the Prime Minister unveiled a package of investment measures to...
“Truly visible and national” charging network needed to support switch to electric cars
Energy UK today joined with business and environmental organisations to urge the Government to be more ambitious in supporting take-up of electric vehicles – a similar call to that made by the National Infrastructure Commission. In their letter to the Prime Minister, Energy UK call for a range of measures to support drivers looking to...
Manchester tops traffic congestion league
Manchester suffers the worst congestion of anywhere outside London, according to a new league table released today by the National Infrastructure Commission. While the capital still sees more traffic congestion than any other area of the country, Manchester tops the league outside London, with Liverpool second and Birmingham in third place. Rounding off the top...