Sir John Armitt today welcomed the Government’s ambition to make substantial savings while looking to invest £600billion in infrastructure projects over the next decade.

The deputy chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission said that with major projects like HS3 and Crossrail 2 needed, efforts to improve the sector’s productivity are more important than ever.

Today, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority published their Transforming Infrastructure Performance Programme, which sets out how the Government will ensure projects are delivered efficiently.

The report highlights the 68 per cent increase in productivity in manufacturing over the past 20 years – but that construction lags behind the rest of the economy, at an estimated cost of £15billion a year.

Ministers have announced plans to introduce more modern techniques and new technology, as well as investing in skills, to tackle this gap and make substantial savings.

Deputy Chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission Sir John Armitt said:

“Today’s report highlights the real savings that can be achieved if we can improve the productivity of our infrastructure sector, not least by being able to plan ahead for the projects we’ll need for the future.

“So I welcome the ambition of the Programme that has been published, with plans to invest some £600billion in projects across the country. And with the need for projects like HS3 in the North of England and Crossrail 2 in London, it’s more important than ever that we look to make savings where we can.

“But the real prize would be to have a clear strategy not just for the next few years, but for the next few decades – and our National Infrastructure Assessment, the first of its kind for this country, seeks to do just that.”