Investment outlined in the government’s Infrastructure Strategy has been welcomed by East Midlands Chamber, but plans should not neglect any part of the region and must be carefully costed to prevent businesses facing additional costs, the Chamber has warned.
Released on 19th June, the government’s Infrastructure Strategy lays out investment plans for all parts of the UK over the next 10 years across areas like housebuilding, transport, clean energy, nuclear energy, hospitals and schools.
East Midlands projects set to benefit from the Infrastructure Strategy include:
- Transport for City Regions – funding allocated to the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) for projects in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire – the Trent Arc, the Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route and improvements to the A614/A6097 in North Nottinghamshire
- Nuclear energy in West Burton via the STEP programme (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production)
- Leicester Royal Infirmary
- Derby flood risk management scheme
- Ilkeston flooding strategy
East Midlands Chamber Director of Policy and Insight Richard Blackmore said: “With infrastructure across the East Midlands in real need of investment to enable growth, it’s encouraging to hear of spending on improved transport, flood defences and nuclear energy, but as with the recent comprehensive spending review from the government it’s really the detail that matters – what projects, how they’re implemented, and how effective they are. It’s essential nowhere needing improvement is overlooked.
“Investment announced earlier in the summer for public transport improvements in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, through the East Midlands Combined County Authority is a welcome step forward, but as said at the time, there must be a balanced approach for the entire region that gives Leicestershire the same level of support.
“There are projects that could vastly improve connectivity in the East Midlands that have started and then stalled, like the electrification of the Midland Main Line – it’s detail we need to see, completion of projects and that they have real benefit.
“Careful costing is essential – businesses will be wary, as they look ahead to the Autumn Budget, that the price of infrastructure investment isn’t passed to them as a tax burden. Having already had to fund higher National Insurance contributions and a higher national living wage this year, firms need to be supported and any further hike would hinder, not help growth.”
