Infrastructure investment on cards
November 28th 2011 Reports suggest transport infrastructure may be a major beneficiary of Chancellor George Osborne’s ‘A+’ strategy, which he is due to unveil tomorrow in his Autumn Statement.
The Chancellor is expected to supplement the Government’s longstanding austerity programme with targeted spending aimed at promoting growth.
The measures are thought to include a £30bn infrastructure programme, including the building of roads, bridges, public transport and telecommunications links.
The money is expected to come from cuts in other areas but most substantially from anticipated investment from pension funds and China.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said: "We're putting in place a new arrangement with private pension funds - which is the first time this has been done in this country - to try and unlock pension fund money to go into infrastructure."
There are 40 projects highlighted for support from the plan including the Transpennine Express line between Leeds and Manchester, the Metro system in Tyne and Wear, and improvements to the M25, M3 and M56.
HSS columnist and road transport expert Geoff Dossetter said the move had to be welcomed.
“This can only be good news to see Government investment in infrastructure, but it also raises the prospect of tolling. If the Government is going to do that, well and good, but don’t do it on the model of the M6 toll road.
“There is an inherent reluctance among road users to pay for using a road is there is an, albeit congested, alternative. The M6 toll road is always empty.
“People are already paying a considerable level of road taxation. if there is a future for toll roads, it would have to be accompanied by road pricing.
“The whole process would need a radical review, also looking at fuel duty.” More articles from Handling & Storage Solutions: | 
