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2014: a critical and momentous year for infrastructure

The last 12 months saw many watershed moments that have set the sector up with very positive outlook for the next decade, says Antony Oliver.

Looking back on 2014 I can’t help but reflect on so many reasons why it has been a critical and momentous year for infrastructure.

Aside from the personal milestone of the Infrastructure Intelligence launch, of course.

Politically it does feel that across the political spectrum there has been a galvanising in realisation that sustained and planned investment in infrastructure really can boost the national economy and help accelerate the UK out of recession.

"The pressure on the whole supply chain to deliver more, with a lower carbon footprint and lower capital and operating cost will continue and accelerate in 2015 and beyond."

And as we head towards the 2015 General Election it is clear that while the usual suspects of health, immigration and welfare will form the major battleground, infrastructure investment has now leapt permanently onto the agenda as the critical plank in securing any future government’s economic strategy.

From an industry perspective much has happened over the last 12 months that can be described as watershed moments that have set the sector up with very positive outlook for the next decade. 

The progress being made towards turning High Speed 2 into reality is one – moving from a rail project to a become a true force to regional growth; and then the Thames Tideway Tunnels project in London and progress at Hinkley Point to create the first new nuclear power station in a generation.

The 2014 iteration of the National Infrastructure Plan is at last moving from aspiration towards deliverable projects and with 65% underway we can see real progress.

Then there is the roads sector and the progress towards creating Highways England  with, for the first time, a five year programme of work worth £15bn. Here, alongside the other regulated sectors in water, energy, rail and telecoms, the industry has a real opportunity to do things better, to plan and think for the longer term.

"When we launched Infrastructure Intelligence 47 weeks ago our goal was to provide infrastructure professionals with quality information that helps you to meet these challenges of serving your clients better and running your businesses more effectively."

So across the sectors we have seen growth continue in 2014. Certainly in many areas such as housing, local transport and energy there remains work to do. But given where we were a short while ago there is much to be positive about.

That does not make it easy of course. The pressure on the whole supply chain to deliver more, with a lower carbon footprint and lower capital and operating cost will continue and accelerate in 2015 and beyond.

As will the pressure on margins and on available resources prompting a continuation of the consolidation that was seen across 2014 and the need for deals already done to deliver their promised results.

When we launched Infrastructure Intelligence 47 weeks ago our goal was to provide infrastructure professionals with quality information that helps you to meet these challenges of serving your clients better and running your businesses more effectively. 

We will continue throughout 2015 to chase that goal and deliver a product that underlines the importance of this sector to the national economy.

Right now we are taking a break until the New Year. Keep an eye on the website, of course, as any critical pieces of information will be updated. 

But thanks for your support in 2014. At Infrastructure Intelligence we look forward to working with you throughout an exciting and eventful 2015.

Antony Oliver is the editor of Infrastructure Intelligence.

If you would like to contact Antony Oliver about this, or any other story, please email antony.oliver@infrastructure-intelligence.com.