The
Second
National
Infrastructure
Assessment


has
been
published
today,
and
it
says
economic
growth
will
be
achieved
by
improving
public
transport
in
large
regional
cities.

It
is
also
advising
road
improvements
on
stretches
which
are
‘underperforming’,
but
these
should
be
accompanied
by
a
‘new,
comprehensive
and
long
term’
plan
for
railways
in
the
Midlands
and
North
of
England.

The
National
Infrastructure
Commission’s
report
has
appeared
just
two
weeks
since
the
Prime
Minister
announced
that
he
was
axing
Phases
2A
and
2B
of
HS2
between
the
West
Midlands,
Crewe
and
Manchester.

The
Commission
is
warning
that
‘all
infrastructure
systems
should
be
more
resilient’
and
also
protect
the
environment
by
reducing
carbon
emissions.

It
continues:
‘The
costs
as
well
as
the
benefits
of
transforming
the
UK’s
infrastructure
will
be
borne
by
the
public
as
taxpayers
and
billpayers.
But
making
these
investments
will
help
lower
costs
for
households
and
keep
them
lower
in
the
longer
term.
These
upfront
investments
will
be
paid
for
by
consumers
in
their
bills
over
the
coming
decades,
not
all
at
once.’

The
Commission’s
chair,
Sir
John
Armitt,
said:
‘The
good
news
is
that
modern,
reliable
infrastructure
can
support
economic
growth,
help
tackle
climate
change
and
enhance
the
natural
environment.

‘We
stand
at
a
pivotal
moment
in
time,
with
the
opportunity
to
make
a
major
difference
to
this
country’s
future.
But
we
need
to
get
on
with
it.

‘People
often
talk
about
infrastructure
as
the
backbone
of
our
economy:
what
our
infrastructure
needs
now
is
the
collective
mettle
to
turn
commitments
into
action
that
will
reap
rewards
for
decades
to
come.’

Sir
John
has
already
described
the
decision
not
to
continue
HS2
north
of
Birmingham
as
‘deeply
disappointing’,
and
he
has
now
sounded
a
warning
about
the
land
which
had
already
been
bought
for
the
project
and
which
the
government
is
now
planning
to
sell
as
soon
as
possible.

He
told
the
BBC:
‘I
think
it’s
a
mistake.
I
think
that
the
land
should
be
kept
for
at
least
two
or
three
years
to
give
the
opportunity
for
people
to
revisit
that
and
look
at
what
can
be
done
within
that
space
and
find
a
more
cost-effective
solution,
not
write
it
off
today.

‘I
am
disappointed
because
I
think
it’s
what
we
often
describe
as
a
sort
of
knee-jerk,
snap
reaction.

‘We
had
an
integrated
plan
a
few
weeks
ago,
we’ve
now
lost
that.
There
are
a
number
of
projects,
some
of
which
already
existed,
some
new
ones.
Let’s
get
those
properly
turned
into
a
well-thought-through,
integrated
plan
for
the
future.’