The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has published its Annual Monitoring Report 2019
Established in 2015, the Commission has published six in-depth studies at the request of government, including: Smart Power; Transport for a World City; High Speed North; Connected Future; Partnering for Prosperity; and Data for the Public Good.
In 2018 the Commission published the first National Infrastructure Assessment, an appraisal of the UK’s infrastructure needs up to 2050 setting out the Commission’s plan of action for the country’s infrastructure over the next 10 to 30 years, and awaits the government’s formal response to the Assessment this year in the form of a National Infrastructure Strategy.
The Annual Monitoring Report sets out the Commission’s views on the government’s progress over the past year in response to the six studies stating the Commission’s priorities for the government over the coming year, presenting chapters for each of the studies to date.
Reporting on Data for the Public Good – the Commission’s response to government’s request to identify new technologies that have potential to improve the productivity of the UK’s infrastructure and accompanying steps required of government – the Report states there has been good progress on the recommendations of the study this year:
“The Commission found that new technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning could help cut delays and disruptions across the UK’s infrastructure networks. But these benefits will only be fully realised if steps are taken to improve the quality, consistency and availability of data, with companies and agencies securely sharing the data they have on how well their infrastructure operates.”
In the Report the Digital Framework Task Group (DFTG) is named as an example of progress made, CSIC is included in the institutions integral to the digital framework and the Centre for Digital Built Britain is cited as “in a position to develop itself as a centre of excellence and learning for digital twins and should be supported to do so.”
The Infrastructure Client Group (ICG) setting up the Digital Transformation Task Group (DTTG) to report on regulatory barriers and enablers to sharing data, and the UK Regulators Network report into barriers and opportunities in this area, are named as further proof of progress.
The government has accepted the majority of the recommendations from the Commission’s six studies so far, but the Report states the progress made to deliver them as “mixed”.
In his Foreword to the Report, Sir John Armitt CBE, Chair National Infrastructure Commission, writes: “The UK can deliver infrastructure well. But government and industry need to work together effectively to do so, with long term planning, stable and realistic budgets and proper governance.
“This will be a critical year. The establishment of the Commission was an important step forward, but a positive response to its National Infrastructure Assessment, and real progress against its wider suite of recommendations, is still needed.”
The government’s progress against the recommendations in each study is set out in more detail throughout this report and in the accompanying annex.
• Read the National Infrastructure Commission Annual Monitoring Report 2019
• Read the National Infrastructure Commission Annual Monitoring Report 2019 – annex