The government has launched a new consultation on the governance, structure and operation of the National Infrastructure Commission.
The government is encouraging everyone with an interest, from infrastructure experts to investors, to take part and share their views on how the new organisation will be structured and run.
The Commission, whose interim chair is Lord Adonis, will advise on the country’s most complex infrastructure challenges by adopting a more long-term approach on infrastructure needs and provide robust, impartial analysis.
On 5 October 2015, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced the new independent National Infrastructure Commission which has been working in shadow form since then. Phil Graham from the Department for Transport, where he has worked on many of the UK’s most important infrastructure projects, was appointed as CEO of the Commission in December.
The Commission’s Call for Evidence on three of the UK’s most critical infrastructure challenges closed last week. The Chancellor has asked the commission to report on three initial projects by Budget 2016:
- northern transport connectivity, especially east-west across the Pennines
- large-scale investment in London’s transport infrastructure, including Crossrail 2
- ensuring investment in energy infrastructure can meet future demand in the most efficient way
Introducing the consultation, Lord Adonis, interim Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, said:
“We need to improve the way we plan and deliver major infrastructure projects in this country. This consultation sets out how a strong and independent National Infrastructure Commission can do exactly that.”
“With statutory power, the National Infrastructure Commission will help establish the country’s long-term strategic needs, and hold government to account.”
“Infrastructure failure results in the unnecessary chaos, costs and congestion too many of us are forced to put up with each and every day. This is an opportunity we must not waste.”
The commission will publish a National Infrastructure Assessment every Parliament setting out its analysis of infrastructure needs over a 10 to 30 year horizon. The government will be required formally to respond to the recommendations of the commission. The commission will also be tasked with carrying out specific studies into pressing and significant infrastructure challenges.
Deadline for submission of responses to the consultation is Thursday 17 March 2016.
Click here to access the consultation document.
Near-real-time microbial monitoring of wastewater discharge and bathing waters is now possible thanks to the BactoSense ID solution created by Swiss-based bNovate Technologies.
ABB has launched AquaMaster+™, a digital platform for smart water network management, designed to help water utilities monitor, analyze and manage their water networks, preventing pipeline water losses and optimizing operations.
Craig Nienaber, Business Development Manager for Safe Access Solutions (SAS) at HUBER Technology, explores why the company is seeing a growing level of interest in its safe access solutions for critical infrastructure providers, including their application in wastewater treatment assets.
Albion Water, the first NAV (New Appointment & Variation) to have been established in1999 and now under the ownership of SDS Water Group, has appointed Andy Holland as its new Director of Business Development.
Southern Water has released film and images showing what it’s like to walk inside Hampshire’s expanded Yew Hill underground reservoir for the very last time, before it gets filled with water.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.