Costain Chief Calls for Long-Term Infrastructure Reform Following CMA Review

Costain chief executive Alex Vaughan has backed calls for major changes to UK infrastructure procurement after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recommended reforms aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs across road and rail projects.

The CMA’s recent report urged government and industry to adopt new approaches to infrastructure delivery that would strengthen competition, improve productivity and support long-term economic growth through investment in transport and public assets.

Responding to the findings, Vaughan said the report underlined the importance of creating a more collaborative and strategically planned infrastructure sector focused on long-term outcomes rather than short-term delivery pressures.

Shift away from transactional procurement

Vaughan argued that the industry must move beyond traditional transactional procurement models and instead prioritise whole-life asset performance and long-term value.

He said this transition would be essential if the UK is to successfully deliver increasingly complex infrastructure programmes while also addressing ongoing skills shortages across the sector.

According to Vaughan, stronger collaboration between government, asset owners and the supply chain will play a crucial role in improving delivery certainty and boosting productivity.

Infrastructure pipeline welcomed by industry

The Costain chief also welcomed the government’s recently published 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy and Infrastructure Pipeline, describing them as important steps towards providing greater visibility over future investment plans.

He said longer-term certainty allows infrastructure companies and supply chain partners to invest more confidently in capability, skills and innovation while encouraging earlier collaboration during project development stages.

Vaughan added that clearer planning and continuity would ultimately help deliver infrastructure programmes more efficiently while generating wider economic and social benefits for communities and taxpayers.

Need for policy consistency

Highlighting the UK’s engineering expertise, Vaughan stressed that the infrastructure sector depends heavily on predictable decision-making and consistent policy direction from government.

He said Costain is continuing to work with government departments, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) and delivery partners across transport, water, energy and defence sectors to support the delivery of major national infrastructure programmes.

Vaughan concluded that long-term consistency from government would be critical in unlocking the full potential of UK infrastructure investment while helping deliver a more resilient, productive and lower-carbon economy.