To avoid tragicomedy, we need fair share of investment

 

Am I living the modern Suffolk dream, or is it a dystopian nightmare?

On a typical day, picture my life – and quite possibly yours too: trying to do the right thing by driving my EV (electric vehicle) from a meeting in Ipswich, but having to queue for ages to recharge it at either Copdock or Capel (the only ‘local’ fast chargers). Then running late, but not able to phone my colleague in London to let them know, because I can’t get a 4G signal. 

Not being able to get a signal means that the data update to my in-car sat-nav is delayed, resulting in me getting stuck in the A14 contraflow at Haughley. Finally, out of that, my Stowmarket train to the capital has long gone, resulting in a further wait until a passenger train can get passed a late-running freight train coming out of Felixstowe.

As a libertarian, I’m a firm believer in a small state.

This means that the apparatus of Government has as minimal a role as possible in interfering in the day-to-day lives of its citizens and businesses. Aside from being extremely intrusive (and usually counter-productive in terms of the outcomes it seeks to deliver), state intervention in the economy is usually costly and maladroit.

One of the great tectonic shifts over the last 40 years or so, thanks to the Thatcher administrations, is that there is now a broad consensus among the main political parties about the limits of state meddling in businesses. 

The nonsense of ‘backing winners’ that so dominated industrial policy up to the 1970s, is hopefully never to be repeated. But one can never be sure with Sir Kier Starmer about anything. 

That said, of course, the state still views companies as easy cash cows in terms of taxation, whether that be input taxes such as the lamentable Business Rates system, or the recently hiked Corporation Tax to fund unrelated expenditure elsewhere.

That’s not to say that there are not legitimate areas where state funding should take place. By and large, though, these need to be either short-term to address a market failure that might be holding back economic growth, or investment in infrastructure which will ensure businesses can be more competitive, and so boost employment and prosperity levels.

But to have any long-term legitimacy, the latter needs to be fairly distributed across the country. It would be extremely unfair and self-defeating if one region benefited whilst others received next to no investment.

Yet, such has been the fate of Suffolk over many, many decades. In spite of being part of one of the few regions that contributes more to the Treasury than it receives in expenditure, so many of our key infrastructure asks have been knocked back or ignored by the remote and unaccountable mandarins in Whitehall. 

Which is why our day-to-day experiences, whether for business, or pleasure, are so frustrating – hence the rather tragi-comic opening to this particular column. 

Unless we start shouting even louder, it all might be about to get worse. The Government has announced delays to possible improvements to the Copdock (J55) Interchange, where the A12 meets the A14, until at least 2030, and maybe even later. Not only that, but it appears National Highways has ratted on its earlier preferred option and, without any consultation, is in favour of a more modest scheme that will do little to improve the flow of vehicles in and out of the Port of Felixstowe (or Flexistowe as an incompetent signwriter designated the place recently).

Then there is the much-delayed announcement about rail infrastructure investment. 

I’m not sure if the much-needed improvements at Ely junction will get the go-ahead, which may or may not impact on the very inexpensive requirements at Haughley to convert the current single lead track junction replaced with a twin lead track one, improving the flow of freight in and out of the aforementioned port – and potentially reducing passenger train delays and snarls-ups as well. 

Finally, there’s the question of 5G infrastructure. This represents a generational advance over 4G technology, as it provides not only advanced data and voice connectivity, but is the key platform for the ‘internet of things’ and other advanced automation systems.

It’s not that Suffolk is behind the rest of the country in this regard (surprise!): rather, its planners and political leaders don’t seem to be ready to grasp the opportunities and actually give our businesses a competitive advantage! 

I’m pleased to say that Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, at least, is speaking up for Suffolk in all of these regards. 

As the chair of the organisation’s Transport & Infrastructure Group, I’m pleased to report that we are lobbying the likes of National Highways (about Copdock), working with Dan Poulter MP to push the case for Haughley Junction and have teamed up with Mobile UK, which represents the main operators, to get Suffolk’s senior planners and councillors round the table to ensure that the county is as ‘5G ready’ as possible. 

Suffolk deserves better: it deserves a fairer share of Government investment – for the benefit of residents and businesses alike!

First published www.suffolkfreepress.co.uk & www.dissexpress.co.uk on Thursday, April 6, 2023.