UK announces planned projects for the next 10 years – including a third runway for Heathrow
The government has published its 10-year infrastructure strategy, which sets out a long-term plan for how it will invest in infrastructure and ensure that funding is spent effectively and efficiently.
The strategy plans to encourage investment by providing a long-term vision that gives investors the confidence and certainty they need to truly commit funding to projects, creating job opportunities and boosting living standards for people across the country.
The plans are backed by at least £725 billion of government funding over the coming decade, from which at least £9 billion will be allocated in 2025-26 to address the critical maintenance needs of health, education and justice estates, rising to over £10 billion per year by 2034-35.
“Infrastructure is crucial to unlocking growth across the country, but for too long,g investment has been squeezed. Crumbling public buildings are a sign of the decay that has seeped into our everyday lives because of a total failure to plan and invest,” said Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves.
“We’re not just fixing buildings – we’re enhancing public services, improving lives and creating the conditions for sustainable economic growth in communities throughout the UK,” she said.
“This will deliver the decade of national renewal we promised Britain, and fulfil our Plan for Change goals to kickstart economic growth, and build an NHS fit for the future.”
New transport projects
Below are some of the major transport projects which the government plans to invest in as part of its transport strategy.
Fixing the basics through long-term investment in road and rail maintenance
Addressing backlogs, fixing potholes and ensuring existing networks are resilient to long-term challenges. £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 has been allocated to National Highways and local authorities to maintain and improve motorways and local roads across the country. This includes investing £1 billion to enhance the road network and create a new Structures Fund that will repair major structures like bridges, flyovers and collapsed roads.
Record investment in urban transport infrastructure to support our city regions
£15.6 billion investment for public transport systems through the Transport for City Regions settlements, which will include enabling construction to start on West Yorkshire’s Mass Transit system – a more than double real-terms increase in capital spending on local transport in city regions by 2029-30 compared to 2024-25.
Connecting the towns and cities of the North and Midlands
Better connecting the major northern English towns and cities – and increasing agglomeration, fostering sectoral clusters alongside key infrastructure investment, and encouraging greater university collaboration and inward investment.
Delivering East West Rail to enable the Oxford to Cambridge Corridor
£2.5 billion funding provided at the Spending Review 2025 to support the delivery of East West Rail, enabling the delivery of new homes and boosting the local economy by £6.7 billion a year by 2050.
Progressing High Speed 2 (HS2)
Continuing delivery of the high-speed line from Euston to Birmingham and maximising economic development around key stations along the route at Old Oak Common, Euston, Interchange Station (Solihull) and Birmingham Curzon Street.
Supporting a third runway at Heathrow
Inviting proposals to enhance connectivity, reduce travel costs and minimise delays at one of the busiest global airports, whilst meeting legal, environmental and climate obligations.
Driving forward work on the Lower Thames Crossing
An initial £590 million for 2026-27, provided at the Spending Review 2025 to deliver this project. Further work, including on a Regulated Asset Base model, is being undertaken in parallel to design and agree a funding model which delivers value for money for the taxpayer and users.
Building sovereign compute capacity to support growth
£2 billion to deliver the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which includes expanding compute resource available to academics and researchers, alongside creating AI Growth Zones with enhanced access to power and support for planning approvals to enable investment in AI-enabled data centres and supporting infrastructure.
