Planning and Infrastructure Bill

Earl of Effingham Excerpts

2nd reading
Wednesday 25th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Effingham (Con)]

My Lords, I will focus my remarks on Part 1, Chapter 3 of the Bill, which addresses transport infrastructure—a vital sector for our country’s connectivity, economy and environmental ambitions. I welcome His Majesty’s Government’s overarching goal to modernise and streamline the planning framework for transport. It is clear that the existing system struggles to keep pace with the scale and urgency of the infrastructure demands that we face, from improving regional connectivity to meeting the needs of a growing and modern economy.

Among the key reforms proposed are amendments to the Highways Act 1980, which will grant local highway authorities powers to charge fees for administrative processes, such as stopping up, diverting highways or permitting structures on or over public roads. Although this approach is pragmatic in theory and may help authorities recover costs and enhance service delivery, I share the concern of many noble Lords that greater clarity is needed about how these fees will be set and regulated. Will there be robust national guidance to ensure consistency across local authorities? Crucially, how will the Government protect smaller developers, community organisations and voluntary groups from disproportionate financial burdens that could impede vital local projects?

The Bill seeks to simplify procedures under the Transport and Works Act 1992 for authorising transport schemes. Streamlining is undoubtedly required to cut delays and bureaucracy, but it is essential that this does not come at the expense of thorough scrutiny. It is crucial that affected communities will retain meaningful rights to consultation and that environmental and social impacts will continue to be rigorously assessed and mitigated.

I welcome the provisions empowering local authorities to mandate electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new developments, but we should be cognisant that a uniform approach may exacerbate existing regional disparities. Rural and less commercially viable areas face significant challenges, from limited grid capacity to a lack of private sector incentives. What measures will the Government put in place to ensure an equitable rollout of EV infrastructure across all parts of the United Kingdom to guarantee that those rural communities are not left behind?

Throughout the Bill, we see the Government’s continuing preference for centralisation in planning decisions. Although efficiency and timelines are obviously important, we must guard against the drift towards sidelining locally elected representatives and communities in favour of top-down control. Genuine local engagement and accountability are the cornerstones of planning that respect community needs and environmental stewardship. The Deputy Prime Minister’s remarks in the other place emphasised streamlining, but that must not come at the expense of constructive input at the local level.

Finally, I raise concerns about the introduction of fees related to harbour orders. Coastal and port communities are economic lifelines for many regions, and smaller ports in particular operate on tight margins. Although recovering administrative costs is reasonable, the Government must ensure that these fees do not deter necessary investment or stifle growth in these vital areas.

The Bill presents a valuable opportunity to lay the foundation for a more efficient, responsive and future-facing transport infrastructure system capable of supporting economic growth. But, as always, the details will determine the success of these reforms.