ICE Wales Cymru welcomes climate resilience funding in Welsh draft budget

ICE Wales Cymru has welcomed “much needed investment in our rail services, roads and homes” in the Welsh government’s draft budget, published in December 2024.

The 2025-26 budget set out the Welsh government’s spending plans for the financial year. The ICE’s response looked at investment in transport, apprenticeships and housing.

It noted the Welsh government’s draft commitments across:

• Transport – an additional investment of £70m resource funding and £51m capital investment to modernise the railway, fix roads, provide local choice on the 20mph policy, and improve transport infrastructure.
• Infrastructure – additional investment of £36m resource funding and £72m capital funding for risk flood management, coal tip safety and improving water quality.
• Continued investment into all age apprenticeships of £144m.
• A rise of 5.4% capital investment in the housing and local government portfolio.

In its response, ICE Wales Cymru recognised investments that the institution had been calling for:

“In Wales we have just experienced two dangerous storms that have damaged our infrastructure and cast a shadow over our communities, with homes and businesses flooded and several coal tip slips.

“We are pleased that the budget includes new and additional funding to address these issues, as we know that the challenges we face due to climate change are only going to increase.

“As civil engineers we play an integral part in ensuring infrastructure projects in Wales are delivered, and we hope that these funds can help us support and further protect our communities and environment.

“We look forward to ongoing investment in the vital infrastructure of Wales.”