Legislation to set up an independent National Infrastructure Commission will be in Labour’s first Queen’s Speech if the party wins the upcoming General Election, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed Balls has said.

The commission would look to identify the UK’s long term infrastructure needs – including those relating to transportation – and monitor plans developed by governments to meet them.

Mr Balls said: “For too long successive governments have ducked and delayed the vital decisions we need to take for the long term. As a country we have got to stop kicking big decisions into the long grass.”

Mr Balls’ proposals are based on a report written by former Olympic Delivery Authority chairman Sir John Armitt, which has also been championed by former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis.

The Armitt Review sets out that a National Infrastructure Commission would carry out an evidence based assessment of the UK’s future needs every 10 years, to be followed by a Parliamentary vote on the priorities identified.

Government departments would then have to form detailed 10 year sector plans of how to deliver and fund work towards these priorities.

Civil Engineering Contractors’ Association chief executive Alasdair Reisner said: “We have been a long term proponent of an independent infrastructure commission. Where there has been increased certainty, civils contractors have had the confidence to invest in skills, equipment and innovation to deliver the expected workloads efficiently.

“It is imperative that contractors maintain this confidence during the election period and that there is no tearing up of investment programmes in the early days of a new government as was seen in 2010.”

A spokesman for the Conservative Party said: " Labour can promise all they like. But the truth is you can only invest in infrastructure if you have a strong economy – which is what the Conservatives' long term economic plan is delivering."

(Photo: edballs.co.uk)