“There is plenty of liquidity and a huge appetite to invest in infrastructure; there is no challenge on that front,” accountancy firm Deloitte’s global leader of infrastructure and capital projects Nick Prior told a conference yesterday.

Investors are keen on assets that are essential to public wellbeing such as transport and even post Carillion, the UK has a really good track record of delivery. “We don’t have to worry about getting the private sector to the party; they are desperate to get involved,” he added.

A bigger issue is the need for the country to set out a strong pipeline of forward infrastructure plans, he said. “Investors want a replicable and steady pipeline, they don’t just want to pile into one project. If we can get that pipeline, investors will come.”

Nick added, however, that the UK must look to raise the profile of infrastructure. “Australia, Canada and the United States are very good examples of countries that have pushed infrastructure right up the political agenda,” he said. It is up to the UK, he went on, to raise the profile of infrastructure in this country and clearly articulate its value to the public and the economy.

Infrastructure & Projects Authority programme director Simon Lawrence told the conference that the National Infrastructure & Construction Pipeline contains over 700 projects, with a total value of around £600Bn. An update to the pipeline will be published next Monday and he was asked if he thought the pipeline is robust enough.

“We are on our eleventh edition now and we are always trying to improve its coverage,” he replied, adding that this year’s update will include an increased focus on ports. “Each year the pipeline tends to grow in scope very slightly and we think it is pretty robust.

“Sixty billion pounds a year seems to be quite a stable view, but for sure there is more to do as we go forward and there will always be improvements to make in terms of its scope and reach.”

The event ‘Priorities for UK infrastructure and the delivery of major projects’ was organised by the Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum.

Photograph: Highways England