Greengauge 21 has produced a short report that explores how transport investment can play a vital role in improving the UK’s productivity performance.
The authors, led by Jim Steer, reviewed a wide range of expert views on how to boost national productivity at a time when multiple growth initiatives are already underway — from increased spending on defence, renewable energy and R&D, to major housing expansion plans, inward investment, airport growth and planning reforms designed to accelerate infrastructure delivery.
“Our aim,” says co-author Jim Steer, “was to identify what transport measures are needed to support these initiatives. A key conclusion is that coordination is essential — and it has to happen at a devolved level, where all these activities can be considered together and where the private sector can be fully engaged.”
“This works at regional or city-region level,” Steer adds, “but not if things remain centralised, with Government Departments accountable only to their own Ministers. As former Bristol City Region Mayor Mervyn Rees told us several years ago — it’s just as true today.”
You can download the report here: Solving the UK’s Productivity Problem: the role of transport investment policy
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