Tideway London’s CEO: the UK has got to get real about its megaprojects

I’ve spent a career in infrastructure. And in recent years, I’ve noticed that a specific narrative has formed – and it’s now louder than ever. The story is that we need to build, build, build. Billions of pounds – hundreds of billions (I’ve even heard the word ‘trillion’ mentioned) – will need to be spent in the coming decades to deliver on our ambitions. Not just on economic infrastructure – roads, rail, runways, power, water – but also on social infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, prisons, housing… the list goes on.

Rather than focusing on the number of decades (or how many billions), I think it’s fair to say that there is a widespread desire to deliver a vast amount of infrastructure in the UK – much more than we have seen in recent years. This will require a step change in our approach.

Misplaced pessimism

Threaded through this narrative – the urgent need to build more infrastructure – there also appears to be a widespread pessimism about our ability in the UK to deliver on these ambitions. It is my contention that this pessimism is misplaced.

Take Tideway as an example. London’s ‘super sewer’ is now operational – and has been delivered within its initial cost and schedule expectations, all while providing a wider legacy of social value. Our project is often cited as a ‘rare example’ of successful delivery, and while it has been a success, I simply do not accept that Tideway is, or should be held up as, unique.

There are many examples of projects and programmes that have been successfully delivered right across the UK. Although these projects may not attract much attention, there are certainly many people and companies around us that are perfectly capable of doing a great job.

Yes, there are valid concerns about the volume of skills and experience available. Yes, we need the right people and equipment to build the infrastructure we need. But I firmly believe that if we create a high level of confidence in the long‑term pipeline of projects, then the supply chain can – and will – rise to the challenge, and train and develop sufficient people in sufficient time to deliver those projects.

Clarity of scope, strong culture

So, how can we do this? What are the fundamental factors in successfully delivering major infrastructure? Well, on Tideway, there’s no doubt that we had clarity of scope, a strong culture and many competent people who influenced the project’s success. And I am proud of where we are. But the key point is this: Tideway was set up to succeed.

This required the thoughtful establishment of the ‘Tideway financing model’, which balanced reasonable investor needs with a fair deal for bill‑payers. It required the ability to make rapid decisions when things didn’t go as expected (the global pandemic being a good example). And it required strong and open communication between the relevant government department, the regulator, the operator and the delivery body.

Realism makes for success

None of this is rocket science. But if there is anything ‘rare’ about Tideway, I suggest that it is the realism that went into setting the project up. No one was asked to take on risks that they couldn’t, in reality, bear. And I think this success is perfectly replicable if people are prepared to accept the reality of what is – and, crucially, isn’t – possible. No one was asked to commit to unrealistic budgets or timelines, and all the parties involved remained committed throughout to supporting a successful outcome.

If we’re serious about delivering the infrastructure we need, we must get real about what is required to set ourselves up for success.