Skip to main content

Boost to infrastructure, autonomous cars in UK budget

The UK chancellor announced in his spring budget what he called the biggest investment, US$87.5 billion (£61 billion), in transport infrastructure in generations and is increasing capital investment in the transport network by 50 per cent over this Parliament compared to the last. The government plans to establish the UK as a global centre for excellence in connected and autonomous vehicles by establishing a US$24.1 million (£15 million) ‘connected corridor’ from London to Dover to enable vehicles to com
March 17, 2016 Read time: 3 mins
The UK chancellor announced in his spring budget what he called the biggest investment, US$87.5 billion (£61 billion), in transport infrastructure in generations and is increasing capital investment in the transport network by 50 per cent over this Parliament compared to the last.

The government plans to establish the UK as a global centre for excellence in connected and autonomous vehicles by establishing a US$24.1 million (£15 million) ‘connected corridor’ from London to Dover to enable vehicles to communicate wirelessly with infrastructure and potentially other vehicles.

It will also consult this summer on sweeping away regulatory barriers to enable autonomous vehicles on England’s major roads and will conduct trials of driverless cars on the strategic road network by 2017, as well as carrying out trials of truck platooning.

In addition, US$86 million (£60 million) has been allocated to the HS3 rail link to cut journey times to around 30 minutes between Leeds and Manchester and US$114 million (£80 million) to Crossrail 2 which will connect south-west and north-east London.

Among other infrastructure investment is an extra US$230 million (£161 million) to accelerate the transformation of the M62 and US$107 million (£75 million) to improve other road links across the North including the A66 and A69. Funding was also allocated to transformative local transport projects, the Pothole Action Fund and repairs to roads and bridges damaged by Storms Desmond and Eva.

Matt Simmons, director of 163 Inrix, said, “George Osborne’s 2016 budget took critical steps to ease the UK’s traffic problem. By approving Crossrail2, the government is making a bold move to reduce congestion in the capital. Backing the HS3 rail link is likely to have a positive impact on traffic levels in Manchester, which is comfortably the second most congested UK city.
 
“The government’s decision to give the green light to a trial of driverless cars on the UK’s motorways should be wholeheartedly welcomed. Powered by real-time data, autonomous vehicles can actively avoid traffic and have the ability to radically transform urban mobility by making travel smarter, safer and more sustainable.”

The Transport Research Laboratory (491 TRL) welcomed the Chancellor’s confirmation of truck platooning trials on the UK’s roads. Professor Nick Reed, TRL’s academy director, said “It’s a logical next step following TRL’s work alongside Ricardo for the Department of Transport (DfT) on the feasibility of operating commercial vehicle platoons. A move towards greater levels of automation in trucks could deliver compelling efficiency improvements for both the UK’s haulage industry and transport network.”

Richard Threlfall, partner and UK head of infrastructure, building and construction at KPMG, said the infrastructure commitment is promising, but more must be done to address north/south divide: “The jam was carefully but thinly spread across the north-south divide as the Chancellor endorsed further development work on both Crossrail 2 and HS3.

“Neither scheme will become reality before the 2030s but Crossrail 2 will proceed quicker because much of the preparation has already been done. HS3 meanwhile remains a concept searching for definition. The Chancellor continues to walk the tightrope of nudging forward the Northern Powerhouse concept he has championed, whilst knowing that in the short term little can be delivered to satisfy the expectations he has raised.”

Related Content

  • December 9, 2013
    UK plans fully integrated transport network to high tech hot spots
    The UK government’s plans to support the country’s burgeoning high-tech industry, centred on London, Cambridge and Oxford, are being facilitated by the Department for Transport (DfT) and its plans for a fully integrated transport network linking each of the three core technical clusters, as well as the wider technical community. The DfT is developing proposals for the construction of a new railway line from Bedford to Cambridge. This would build on the ongoing work on the east-west rail project and compl
  • June 22, 2016
    UK needs new freight strategy says report
    The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is calling for the UK Government to urgently introduce a national multi-modal freight strategy in a move to ease traffic congestion, improve air quality and boost the economy. According to its report ‘UK freight: in for the long haul’ up to 30 per cent of all haulage vehicles on UK roads are empty and about 150 million miles are driven unnecessarily by lorry drivers. It claims a national strategy could outline plans to make better use of urban consolidation centres
  • January 23, 2020
    Timing is everything for EV charging
    Electric vehicles are often promoted as a more sustainable alternative to diesel and petrol cars - but their arrival raises concerns about the strain which charging will put on the grid.
  • December 5, 2013
    Terrestrial solution to stellar shortcomings
    Inherent weaknesses in satellite communications are leading several countries to re-evaluate terrestrial-based backup systems. There is a tale frequently told in satellite navigation circles, of how landing systems at Newark Airport were disrupted by a truck driver using GPS jamming equipment as he drove along the New Jersey Turnpike. While there was no threat to flight safety as the interference to GPS reference stations being tested, the story highlights how apparently benign threats have the potential t