Infrastructure Industry Urges Next Prime Minister to Stay the Course on £725bn Investment Pipeline

Britain's highways and infrastructure sector has issued a united appeal to the incoming Prime Minister, warning that another change in political direction could jeopardise long-term investment, weaken business confidence and delay delivery of nationally significant transport and infrastructure projects.

More than 25 of the UK's leading contractors, consultants, professional institutions and industry bodies have signed a joint open letter calling for continuity rather than another wholesale review of infrastructure policy.

The unprecedented coalition spans organisations responsible for designing, building and maintaining much of Britain's transport, energy and civic infrastructure, including the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), Balfour Beatty, Costain, Kier Group, Skanska UK, AtkinsRéalis, Arcadis, Jacobs, Mott MacDonald, Ramboll, WSP, Royal BAM Group and many others.

A plea for certainty

The message from industry is clear: political stability is now just as important as financial investment.

The letter notes that Britain is preparing to welcome its seventh Prime Minister in just ten years, warning that repeated changes in leadership have created uncertainty that risks undermining investor confidence and slowing project delivery.

Rather than reopening policy debates or launching further reviews, industry leaders argue that government should focus on delivering the commitments already made.

"We urge the new Prime Minister to re-commit to current infrastructure plans and speed up reforms designed to accelerate project delivery."

Protecting a £725 billion programme

At the centre of the appeal is the Government's 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, published last year, together with the accompanying Infrastructure Pipeline.

Together they outline around £725 billion of planned investment over the coming decade across transport, energy, water, digital infrastructure and public services.

Industry leaders describe the strategy as one of the clearest long-term commitments the sector has received in years, providing businesses with the confidence needed to recruit staff, invest in equipment and develop supply chains capable of delivering major programmes.

The signatories argue that abandoning or substantially revising those plans would risk repeating a cycle of delays that has characterised previous infrastructure programmes.

Delivery, not another review

Rather than calling for new policies, the organisations believe the priority should now be implementation.

The letter argues that the existing strategy already provides a shared vision supported by both government and industry.

"The real achievement of the strategy is its unifying vision."

It continues:

"It offers a clear picture of how to plan, prioritise, and deliver infrastructure that policymakers and industry support."

The message concludes with a direct warning against another policy reset.

"Now is not the time to rip up plans and go back to square one."

Infrastructure as an engine of growth

The coalition highlights the wider economic and social benefits that long-term infrastructure investment can deliver.

Beyond supporting construction employment, the letter argues that modern infrastructure improves connectivity, boosts regional productivity, strengthens energy security and enhances resilience to climate change.

As evidence of infrastructure's long-term value, the signatories point to London's Elizabeth line, which government estimates suggest has generated around £42 billion in economic benefits from an investment of approximately £19 billion.

For the sector, projects such as Crossrail demonstrate that sustained infrastructure investment can deliver returns that extend well beyond transport alone.

Highways sector speaks with one voice

The inclusion of major highways contractors alongside professional institutions gives the letter particular significance.

With organisations responsible for delivering and maintaining England's strategic road network among the signatories, the industry is presenting a rare, unified position on the importance of long-term policy certainty.

The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, Kier Group, Costain, Balfour Beatty, Skanska UK and many of the UK's largest engineering consultancies have all backed the call, signalling widespread concern about the consequences of continued political uncertainty.

Consistency over change

The letter concludes by making clear that the industry is ready to work with whichever government takes office next.

However, its message is that the UK's infrastructure ambitions will only be realised if ministers resist the temptation to revisit existing plans every time political leadership changes.

"We have the knowledge to deliver the transformational infrastructure the UK needs."

The signatories add that what the sector requires most is not another strategy, but the political commitment to see the current one through.

At a time when the UK faces major challenges around economic growth, housing, transport capacity and net zero, the message from industry is unmistakable: confidence is built through consistency, and infrastructure delivery depends as much on political certainty as it does on engineering expertise.

Read the full letter here