A new report published by the National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC) is calling on the Government to urgently prioritise, invest in, and reform the management of the UK’s ageing infrastructure. Reviving our Ageing Infrastructure highlights how climate change, heavier usage and decades of underinvestment are placing roads, bridges, railways, water networks and flood defences under mounting strain. It exposes the practical consequences that arise when ageing systems begin to break down, impacting public safety, the environment and the economy. Recent closures of major structures, such as the Clifton Bridge in Nottingham, the Hammersmith Bridge in London, and the Nuneham Viaduct near Oxford, demonstrate the real-world disruption caused when assets built over a century ago reach breaking point.
The NEPC proposes a national shift from reactive repairs to proactive monitoring and maintenance, supported by 15 urgent recommendations. These include reforming fragmented funding models, appointing chief engineers to board level, improving data sharing between agencies, and launching a national conversation on the value and cost of long-term stewardship.
The report also draws attention to an urgent shortage of technical and specialist skills, with significant losses across rail, water and flood management roles. It finds that early intervention can deliver up to £11 in benefits for every £1 invested in flood-defence maintenance, while lowering carbon emissions by extending the life of existing assets.
Based on insights from industry, academia, civil society, and policymakers, the report highlights seven enablers, ranging from skills and capability to data and regulation. Its cross-sector approach aims to secure long-term public value through better stewardship.
The analysis underscores how vital it is that engineers and technicians continue to apply the highest professional standards to the infrastructure our society relies on every day. As an NEPC partner, the Engineering Council helps ensure that these standards underpin the sector’s response to these challenges, working with institutions to maintain the competence and ethical foundation needed for engineering professionals to steward the nation’s assets responsibly and sustainably.