Civils encouraged by Spellar pledge

Civils contractors have been assured by transport minister John Spellar that there will be "no shortage" of work as the government's £160bn, 10-Year Transport Plan is proving to be a success.

Spellar said that although he understood the industry's fears on delivery, its concerns were "misplaced" as the plan's 100 new bypasses and 80 trunk road schemes will be pushed out "even quicker" in the coming years.

"Worries over a quiet period of work during the next two years due to planning shouldn't happen as government is looking even harder to reduce the planning process further," said Spellar. "A project used to take 12 years to come to fruition, now we are at seven years."

Proposals for change include doubling the number of planning inspectors to two on major schemes and assessments on how to use time more effectively after a planning hearing.

Responding to concerns that designs of future road schemes outlined in the multi-modal studies might be delayed by the government's indecision on road charging, Spellar said there were several schemes which could go ahead without a decision on charging.