The government has made clear that place-based growth and ‘levelling up’ the country is at the forefront of its policy agenda, and investment in infrastructure must play a key role within this. The Budget on 11 March and the National Infrastructure Strategy, which is anticipated to be published to coincide, should provide much needed detail on where the government’s infrastructure priorities lie and how they will be brought to life.

The government has already made some welcome announcements including giving the green light to HS2 and declaring £5 billion of new funding to overhaul bus services and cycle links in every region outside of London. Improving the country’s infrastructure and local connections, both in cities and rural areas, will be critical to help rebalance and ‘level up’ the country’s economy. But we await further clarity on how quickly this money will be made available, who is eligible to apply for it and what it can be spent on. Investing in our public transport networks and taking a joined-up approach to the decarbonisation of transport, will also be an important contributor to becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2050.