The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published a market study into the supply of railway and public road infrastructure by the civil engineering sector.

The report has echoes a number of positions long advocated by the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT), particularly around the importance of long-term infrastructure pipelines, strengthening public-sector capability, investing in skills, and improving collaboration across the sector.

The report frames many of these issues through a competition and market-shaping lens, rather than focusing primarily on transport outcomes and professional practice.

The report is available to read here.

A central theme of the report is the damaging impact of short-term funding cycles and shifting policy priorities. It argues that uncertainty undermines effective planning and reduces incentives for organisations to invest in workforce development and innovation. This closely reflects CIHT’s own calls for longer-term funding certainty, which highlighted the importance of stable investment pipelines in supporting industry confidence.

The report makes a particularly strong connection between pipeline certainty, skills retention and innovation investment.

The CMA report also raises concerns about procurement practices, arguing that current models too often prioritise short-term cost savings over long-term value. It suggests this can increase bid costs, create barriers to entry and drive inefficiencies throughout the supply chain.

These concerns mirror discussions held at this year’s CIHT National Conference 2026, where delegates highlighted the need for procurement approaches that better support collaboration, innovation and sustainable delivery outcomes.

Skills and capability emerge as another major area of alignment. The report identifies staffing shortages across both the public and private sectors and warns that capability constraints are weakening procurement quality and delivery performance.

This strongly reflects CIHT’s ongoing focus on attracting more people into the profession, supporting professional development and ensuring the sector has the expertise needed to meet future transport challenges.

By approaching the sector through a competition and market-shaping perspective, the CMA report argues that increasing competition will strengthen market dynamics, lower costs and improve delivery performance.

CIHT has consistently championed better outcomes, collaboration and professional standards, it has traditionally placed less emphasis on competition policy as a primary mechanism for reform.

CIHT looks forward to working with the UK Government, industry, and the civil engineering sector to address these challenges and work towards ensuring the UK has a transport network fit for the future.