Labour is on the brink of breaking two key election promises due to unnecessary delays to major infrastructure projects, new research shared with the Express has revealed.
The Britain Remade think tank, which campaigns to remove barriers to economic growth, has found that delays to major infrastructure planning in the first six months of this have led to 930 further wasted days.
They suggest these delays are now jeopardising a whopping 57,000 British jobs, and over £14 billion in investment.
Schemes delayed by the Labour government in its first six months include the Lower Thames Crossing, the Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange, the relocation of the Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant, an expansion of Luton Airport, the North Lincolnshire Green Energy Park, and the West Burton Solar Project.
and Rachel Reeves came to power promising to secure economic growth, partly by unlocking planning blockages they claimed had built up under the previous Conservative government.
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Keir Starmer is on track to break his pledge about infrastructure (Image: Getty)
The Prime Minister also pledged to approve 150 infrastructure projects by 2029, however Britain Remade says he is now on track to deliver just 72.
Sam Richards, CEO of Britain Remade, says the is already turning his back on a promise to be a government of “builders not blockers”.
Mr Richards warns: “Our research has shone a light on the reality when it comes to the huge delays faced by major infrastructure projects.”
“Across the board, from new roads to new energy infrastructure, the things we need to boost our economy and make the British people more prosperous face unnecessary delays.
“These are not schemes that are held up because they are waiting for a local planning committee to give them the go ahead, these schemes are sitting on ministers’ desks and could be given the green light with the stroke of a pen.”
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The Lower Thames Crossing delay comes under particular fire (Image: National Highway Agency)
Gareth Bacon, the Conservative Shadow Transport Secretary, told this paper: “Since Labour came into office, passengers have suffered chaos, cancellations and delays.
“Labour’s decision to delay these projects to divert funding toward their ideological rail reorganisation plans will only worsen services, pleasing only their union paymasters.
“Labour must recognise the damaging impact of their decisions and prioritise investment into infrastructure over token measures designed to appease the unions.”
The Lower Thames Crossing is singled out in particular by the pro-growth group, after the decision was pushed back seven months by the Labour government.
The project to provide another crossing of the Thames between Essex and Kent has already cost taxpayers almost £300 million in planning alone.
Despite initially forecast to cost £5.3 billion, it’s now thought the project will balloon to an eye-watering £9 billion.
The local Reform UK MP James McMurdoch, whose constituency would be home to the north half of the road bridge, described the delay as the “worst of all worlds”.
He blasted: “At least if it is built the case could be made for some economic benefit, even if it is a wasted opportunity in terms of future-proofing local infrastructure.”
“My view is no project should go ahead that costs the taxpayer £9 billion and doesn’t solve its own brief. But a solution is needed and by kicking the can down the road we get neither.”
A Government spokesman argued that they inherited a broken planning system, “but have announced ambitions reforms to planning laws to get Britain building”.
“Some major infrastructure applications which are currently delayed had been delayed under the previous administration.
“Our plan for change pledges to make planning decisions on at least 150 major infrastructure projects to boost economic growth, create more jobs and deliver 1.5 million homes in this Parliament.”