Yes. The man in the street must understand the value of infrastructure

Is it really possible to communicate the true value of infrastructure investment to the public? Can the average man or woman in the UK street really be expected to have a view on the relative merits of ploughing cash into roads or railways or power stations, houses or sewers?

The answer, of course, is probably not. Infrastructure is a broad, complex and often highly subjective beast requiring much “apples and pears” comparison and plenty of compromise.

But should we simply leave it at that? Well absolutely not. 

"Today the cost of critical upgrade work is starting to find its way onto the cost of living. As this happens we increasingly see the inevitable political and public push back begin as the “do we really need this” questions get asked."

Because as we heard during a discussion on this very subject during the London First Infrastructure Summit last week at a session on the hugely challenging Thames Tideway project, unless we work hard to make the case for value we risk only the high profile and politically popular schemes ever getting built.

The £4.2bn Tideway tunnel is a case in point. It is essentially a massive underground storage tank which few members of the public will ever see, let alone, heaven forbid, venture into. Its job is to quietly and efficiently ensure that when it rains hard in the capital – which increasingly it will do – the sewers no longer overflow raw effluent into the river Thames.

It is important stuff but, let’s face it, not really the kind of project that gets the average man in the street excited. It won’t get them to work any quicker like a new rail service, avoid traffic congestion like a new road, or improve business or leisure travel like a new airport. 

And unlike a new house, it will not enable you to finally move out of your parent’s home (or indeed, finally move your children out of yours). 

Certainly we need investment in all of the above. But rather like electricity and water supply, the only thing the public really wants to know about sewers is that they work.

And that was fine while we continued to enjoy the patronage of our forebears who built and paid for this dull but vital water and power infrastructure. Things are looking considerably different today with the realisation that we actually have to renew and upgrade much of this infrastructure.

Today the cost of this critical upgrade works is starting to find its way onto the cost of living. As this happens we increasingly see the inevitable political and public push back begin as the “do we really need this” questions get asked.

Certainly the level of cross party political support for infrastructure investment has never been higher. Politicians understand the relationship between investment and economic growth. That is good news.

As is the fact that questions can be asked and projects challenged. But we must not forget that it is the job of infrastructure professionals to ensure that the best and most socially important schemes get prioritised rather than simply the ones that garner the most political support.

Hence the absolute need to make the case for vital infrastructure clear to the public - and in particularly the projects whose social benefits are perhaps less obvious or photogenic. Not an easy task but even in a cost obsessed world value really does still have currency.

Antony Oliver is the editor of Infrastructure Intelligence