Concerns over potential cuts to transport and net-zero spending have prompted a warning from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK (CILT UK), which says reducing investment in transport infrastructure could weaken the nation’s economic resilience and long-term security.
The comments follow reports that transport and decarbonisation budgets could face pressure as the Government seeks to fund commitments set out in its forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
While supporting the need to strengthen the UK’s defence capabilities amid increasing geopolitical uncertainty, CILT UK argues that transport infrastructure should be viewed as a critical component of national resilience rather than a competing spending priority.
Daniel Parker-Klein, Director of Policy and Communications at CILT UK, said transport networks play a fundamental role in supporting both economic performance and national preparedness.
“CILT UK recognises the need to strengthen the UK’s defence capability in response to growing global uncertainty. National security must remain a priority,” he said.
“However, transport and logistics are not separate from national security. They are part of it. The UK’s ability to move people, goods, equipment, fuel and essential supplies quickly and reliably is fundamental to both economic stability and national resilience.”
Parker-Klein warned that while reducing transport spending may offer short-term fiscal savings, it could create longer-term challenges by limiting investment in the infrastructure needed to support economic growth, supply chains and emergency response capabilities.
The intervention comes at a time when the Government is placing increasing emphasis on economic growth, infrastructure delivery and improving national resilience. Across the transport sector, industry leaders have repeatedly highlighted the importance of long-term funding certainty to support investment decisions, skills development and project delivery.
CILT UK argues that transport networks are essential not only for everyday passenger and freight movements but also for maintaining operational capability during periods of disruption, whether caused by extreme weather, supply chain shocks or wider national emergencies.
The organisation points to previous spending reviews as evidence of the impact prolonged reductions can have on transport investment. Following the 2010 Spending Review, Department for Transport spending was reduced by 15 per cent in real terms by 2014-15, including a 21 per cent reduction in resource spending and an 11 per cent cut to capital expenditure.
According to CILT UK, further reductions risk exacerbating long-standing challenges across transport infrastructure, logistics networks and freight operations at a time when demand for resilient and sustainable transport solutions continues to grow.
Sue Terpilowski, Chair of CILT UK’s Public Policy Committee, said the debate should focus on recognising transport as a strategic enabler of wider government objectives rather than viewing it as a competing budget line.
“We need an open and honest discussion about where transport sits in the Government’s spending priorities,” she said.
“A modern, sustainable and reliable transport system is essential to the UK’s long-term strength. Freight, ports, rail, aviation and decarbonised logistics all have a role to play in supporting economic growth, supply chain resilience and the country’s ability to respond when it matters most.”
Terpilowski added that transport investment supports a broad range of policy ambitions, from productivity and regional growth to environmental targets and national preparedness.
“Transport should not be seen as competing with defence and security. It is one of the foundations that helps make them work,” she said.
The warning is likely to resonate across the rail sector, where long-term investment programmes are often cited as critical to maintaining network capacity, improving reliability and supporting modal shift from road to rail.
Industry bodies have consistently argued that infrastructure spending should be viewed as a strategic investment rather than a short-term cost, particularly as the UK seeks to deliver economic growth while reducing carbon emissions and strengthening supply chain resilience.
As ministers finalise future spending priorities, CILT UK is urging the Government to maintain a long-term perspective and recognise the central role transport plays in supporting the economy, enabling growth and strengthening national resilience.
The organisation believes that protecting transport investment will be essential if the UK is to deliver both its economic ambitions and its wider security objectives in the years ahead.
