ICE Director General, Nick Baveystock, has welcomed the Labour Party's confirmation that Sir John Armitt will lead an examination of the UK's long-term infrastructure needs and work to develop a political consensus.
Commenting on the announcement, he said:
“This is welcome news and we agree it is time to stand above political fault lines and ensure infrastructure can deliver as the critical enabler to economic growth in the UK. All party commitment to an infrastructure programme, with broad agreement on how to fund it, may seem politically difficult but is vital in bringing the one thing the industry needs: greater certainty. By working together, we believe all parties can minimise unnecessary change, helping to avoid delays and indecision.
“It is encouraging to see one of the UK’s most prominent civil engineers and a future ICE president, step up to chair a review of our infrastructure systems. Sir John has years of experience and drive in delivering large scale infrastructure projects on time and to budget, which isn’t an easy task, and his respect across Government and industry make him a sound choice to take the reins.”