Unlocking Growth: The UK’s Innovation Opportunity in Transport and Construction
File type: pdf
File size: 239.41Mb
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Unlocking growth: The UK’s innovation opportunity in transport & construction
Seizing the UK’s £725 billion infrastructure opportunity
The UK has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape its infrastructure.
The Government has committed to investing £725 billion in infrastructure over the next decade. The newly created National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) is also helping to create a more visible and predictable pipeline of projects and opening the door to greater innovation across supply chains.
If just 1% of the UK’s infrastructure pipeline were strategically invested in innovation it could unlock 18,000 new solutions and up to 600,000 jobs.
With the UK’s Industrial Strategy recognising transport and construction as priority sectors and enablers for growth, a new report from Connected Places Catapult highlights a pivotal moment for the UK infrastructure.
A defining moment for UK transport and construction innovation
Unlocking growth: The UK’s innovation opportunity in transport and construction explores how collaboration between government, industry, investors and innovators can transform the way the country travels, builds and lives. And what this means for the UK’s high potential businesses.
“Ambitious plans require innovative ways of thinking, and changing how we do things. Our job at Connected Places Catapult is to unlock the potential of the innovative businesses that can play a key role in transforming our infrastructure. Helping them scale faster, while reducing uncertainty for buyers and investors.”Erika Lewis, CEO of Connected Places Catapult
The report also highlights opportunities for the public and private sectors to shape new markets in which the UK’s high potential companies can scale and grow;
- The low-carbon mobility market contributes £5bn GVA today, projected to grow to £15bn and 180,000 jobs by 2035
- The connected and autonomous vehicle market could add £41.7bn to the UK economy and create 38,000 skilled jobs by 2035
- Over 29 million UK homes will need retrofitting by 2050, with £3bn in public funding already committed
- £1.2bn was invested in construction technology in 2024, yet fewer than 10% of UK homes use Modern Methods of Construction (MMC)
At the same time, devolved decision-making is giving regional leaders greater control over investment and delivery. Combined with ambitious housebuilding targets, a new towns programme, and major rail reform through Great British Railways and its innovation arm GBRx, the conditions are being created for new approaches to infrastructure delivery.
Digital transformation will also play a key role. Government investment in new data-sharing infrastructure will significantly improve the availability of data, enabling more advanced AI-enabled services and solutions, from smarter ticketing systems to whole-life digital construction programmes.
This report argues that realising this opportunity will require new ways of thinking about procurement, investment and collaboration. Now is the moment to work together to turn ambition into action and unlock the full potential of innovation in the UK’s infrastructure.
Unlocking Growth: The UK’s Innovation Opportunity in Transport and Construction
File type: pdf
File size: 239.41Mb
