The UK government has pledged a minimum of £725bn in infrastructure capital investment over the next decade as part of its newly published UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy.
The document, released alongside the wider UK Industrial Strategy, outlines an ambitious roadmap for upgrading national infrastructure – with major implications for urban mobility, electric vehicle (EV) charging, highways maintenance and smart transport systems.
At the heart of the strategy is a commitment to deliver long-term, inflation-linked funding beyond the current Spending Review period.
A total of £1bn has been allocated for critical transport maintenance, including bridges, flyovers and crossings, while £8.3bn will be made available for local road resurfacing and safety improvements.
The government will also invest a further £400m into EV charging infrastructure, following reports that the previously announced £950m Rapid Charging Fund has stalled.
Although originally intended to install 6,000 ultra-rapid chargers on England’s motorways, the fund was deemed commercially unviable by operators.
The new initiative will prioritise grid connectivity, commercial viability and streamlined rollout. This comes as battery-electric vehicles accounted for more than 21% of new car sales in May 2025.
Sue Robinson, chief executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association, warned that “charge anxiety” is now overtaking range anxiety as the key barrier to EV uptake.
She welcomed the new investment, saying: “The government must work closely with industry to ensure future initiatives are practical, commercially viable and meet the needs of both motorists and businesses.”
The Data (Use and Access) Act, passed last week, is another key enabler of smarter, integrated transport. The Infrastructure Strategy includes £36m to support smart data schemes, aimed at making data portable across operators and improving real-time journey information.
Max Sugarman, CEO of ITS UK, said: “These schemes could be transformational, enabling seamless multimodal travel and unlocking major efficiency gains across the transport network.”
Beyond EVs and data, the strategy promises to expand regulatory frameworks for automated and connected vehicle technologies across rail, aviation and maritime.
This complements the Industrial Strategy’s Digital and Technologies sector plan, which calls for interoperable standards and wider automation deployment in freight and public transport.
The strategy’s modal commitments include £11.5bn Transpennine Route Upgrade (with electrification underway); continued support for Midlands Rail Hub; commitment to rail freight growth, targeting a 75% increase by 2050; and ongoing work to deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail, including new lines via Warrington and Bradford.
However, the decision to continue pursuing the controversial Lower Thames Crossing has drawn sharp criticism. Chris Todd, director of Transport Action Network, described the project as a “nightmare journey just starting”, arguing that investment in rail upgrades like Ely Junction would offer greater strategic value and emissions savings.
Local government and industry bodies have broadly welcomed the strategy’s shift to long-term, preventative infrastructure planning. Angela Jones, president of ADEPT, praised the “five-year certainty” the strategy offers to local authorities, allowing them to move beyond emergency repairs and build climate-resilient infrastructure.
The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) echoed that view, welcoming the Treasury’s support for long-term maintenance and planning integration.
“Transport planning must be part of housing and climate strategies,” said CIHT chief executive Sue Percy CBE. “We also support better integration between transport, telecoms and water systems, especially as extreme weather becomes more frequent.”
The strategy also pledges to deliver 1.5 million new homes, supported by integrated transport, utilities and digital infrastructure – linking back to the Industrial Strategy’s mission for clean growth and industrial clusters.
Despite the progress, active travel and micromobility remain relatively underexplored within both strategies. Active Travel England’s target for 50% of urban journeys to be walked or cycled by 2030 is referenced but not significantly expanded.
Freight-specific strategies also appear limited. While the logistics sector is acknowledged as a key enabler, there are few direct measures to address last-mile challenges, urban consolidation or zero-emission logistics hubs.
Logistics UK called for deeper engagement, saying: “If our members are to deliver the government’s ambitious plans for growth, infrastructure delivery must be prioritised with a focus on resilience and real-world supply chain needs.”
Governance and delivery will fall to the newly established National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), supported by the Industrial Strategy Council.
Both bodies will report annually to Parliament and oversee coordination between local and national delivery partners, streamlining project timelines via the government’s ‘Project Speed’ approach.
The strategy aligns closely with the UK Industrial Strategy, which highlights transport as a cross-sector enabler – especially for advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital technologies.
Achievements in urban mobility will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
