Executive summary
- The United Kingdom (UK) consistently struggles to build major infrastructure projects (such as roads and railways) quickly, at scale or cost-effectively. This hinders Britain’s national objectives, economic growth and prosperity.
- The UK’s overly complex and slow-moving planning process, along with frequent legal challenges, has made delivering infrastructure projects both expensive and time-consuming.
- Recent government efforts, such as the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and a 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, aim to speed things up. However, in order to address these challenges, His Majesty’s (HM) Government should go even further by introducing strict consultation deadlines, setting ambitious targets for physical and digital connectivity, regularly benchmarking project performance internationally and mandating construction material supply audits for major projects.
About the author
Dr Mann Virdee is a Senior Research Fellow in Science, Technology and Economics at the Council on Geostrategy. He leads Caudwell Strong Britain. Previously, he was a researcher at the RAND Corporation, where he managed and conducted research on areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, 5G, space science and governance, biotechnology and the life sciences, and research and innovation. Mann has also worked for the UK Parliament and the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF.
Disclaimer
This publication should not be considered in any way to constitute advice. It is for knowledge and educational purposes only. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council on Geostrategy or the views of its Advisory Council.
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No. 2025/15| ISBN: 978-1-917893-06-0