Recent ONS GDP figures show the overall UK economy shrank by 0.3%. These figures highlight the impact of higher national insurance costs for employers and are also set against the backdrop of higher energy bills and trade uncertainty following the U.S. tariffs.
With rising costs and lower profits, some businesses are having to make savings wherever possible, and others have unfortunately no choice but to close their doors, citing costs and administrative challenges.
If the UK Government and the respective administrations at Stormont, Holyrood and Cardiff Bay are serious about economic recovery and growth, they must work collaboratively with industries like ours that are crucial to the economic health of our four nations.
In our reaction to the recent spending review, and in a series of recent RHA reports, we’ve clearly set out what businesses in our space need to help achieve growth.
The starting point is a fit for purpose road network that reduces congestion, connects communities and keeps goods and materials moving. Without proper investment in our roads, the economic recovery we need simply cannot happen. Take the A75 corridor on south Scotland and the A55 in North England by way of example. Both absolutely essential for the NI economy and that of the UK as a whole and both are screaming out for investment.
Earlier this week a High Court judge in Belfast ruled that construction on the A5 should “not go ahead in its current form because the plans do not comply with government climate change targets”.
I am unsure how keeping a key freight road which has known safety issues, and which needs upgrading, benefits the climate in its current state but I do know that major investment in our road network is also crucial to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with Government plans such as housing targets. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins says she has “lots to consider” after the judgement but this is the third time in 18 years that approval for the project has been overturned in court.
Congestion caused by inadequate roads directly undermines business productivity and therefore undermines the growth we want to see.
Another key starting point is skills and training. If we are to recruit the 40,000 drivers UK wide we need each year for the next five years to keep up with demand, training and skills investment is also required to recruit, train and retain staff to future-proof our sector with a long-term workforce in place. We need to see more emphasis from our devolved Government’s to invest in skills.
