Today, Balfour Beatty launches the latest of its Public Policy papers, “Maintaining Momentum: Growth for the North” and “The Midlands Engine: Building the Gateway to the Global Economy”. The papers focus on enabling a more balanced and competitive economy through improved connectivity across the country, as well as discussing the strategic action required to future-proof our regional economies for the long-term.
It is in the interest of the country that the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine are able to flourish through improved connectivity with the rest of the country. Despite the vast number of opportunities and the investment in a number of flagship infrastructure schemes in the North and Midlands, from the Great North Rail project to the transformation of the M62 into a ‘smart’ motorway, the post-Brexit landscape requires a more considered approach to infrastructure spending in order to achieve a balanced national economy.
This is not a choice between improving infrastructure in the North and Midlands over the South for example, or vice versa, it is about closing the transport spend gap between London and other regions.
Where public funding is insufficient, new models must be explored to ensure we are strengthening and empowering regions to maximise their potential. The introduction of sub-national transport bodies such as Midlands Connect and Transport for the North marks a major milestone in the delivery of strategic decisions and investment.
Acknowledging how important it is for the sector to future-proof regional economies and improve infrastructure where it will make the biggest difference, Balfour Beatty’s latest public policy papers set out a series of key points and recommendations, which can be read here.
ENDS
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Cassie Farrar
Balfour Beatty
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cassie.farrar@balfourbeatty.com
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Notes to editors:
- Balfour Beatty (www.balfourbeatty.com) is a leading international infrastructure group. With 28,000 employees, we provide innovative and efficient infrastructure that underpins our daily lives, supports communities and enables economic growth. We finance, develop, build and maintain complex infrastructure such as transportation, power and utility systems, social and commercial buildings.
- Our main geographies are the UK & Ireland, US and Far East. Over the last 100 years we have created iconic buildings and infrastructure all over the world including the London Olympics’ Aquatic Centre, Hong Kong’s first Zero Carbon building, the National Museum of the Marine Corps in the US and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.
- Balfour Beatty has a long and proud history working in the North and Midlands, delivering innovative infrastructure and build projects and supporting growth across the region. The company has proven expertise across multiple sectors including highways, education, flood & coastal defence, and of working with local authorities through the Scape National Civil Engineering and Infrastructure framework along with other regional and national frameworks.
- Our portfolio of current projects includes the delivery of two contracts for HS2 worth a combined total of c.£2.5billion, The University of Manchester’s £287m Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD), representing one of the largest capital developments ever undertaken by a UK higher education institution, and sections of the Manchester Smart Motorways scheme for Highways England. We are also delivering an £85m automotive research facility for the University of Warwick in Coventry, the £53m Rossall coastal defence scheme for Wyre Council, which forms part of the UK’s largest coastal defence programme, and the New Cross Student Development in Manchester which will feature 274 student apartments.
- Completed projects include the £50m ‘Diamond’ building at the University of Sheffield, the £14m mechanical and electrical services for the new National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester and a £22.5m new teaching and lecture space at Sheffield Hallam University. Balfour Beatty has also recently completed the £27m Anchorsholme coastal defence scheme on behalf of Blackpool Council, and the Gateshead District Energy Centre, one of the North East region’s first energy centres, which will generate and supply heat and power for homes, businesses and public buildings across Gateshead Town Centre.
