The proposals in the Planning White Paper designed to streamline and hasten the completion of major infrastructure projects, including road, rail and ports, should also be implemented.

The FTA’s views are contained in a paper titled ‘UK port Development’ which was published last month. It sets out the FTA’s view of what kind of port development the UK requires and what the Government should be doing to help that happen.

With estimates that the growth in container traffic worldwide will double between 2000 and 2010, the UK’s economy and the supply chain that supports it must undergo substantial change. In his report on transport’s role in sustaining UK productivity and competitiveness, Sir Rod Eddington warned the Government that shipping demand is forecast to outstrip existing and currently anticipated UK ports capacity and without further expansion delivery, costs could increase by some £140m per year beyond 2030.

The FTA says the UK’s need for greater ports capacity is becoming urgent, and that it must be supplied in a way that ensures economic competitiveness. The Government must recognise its responsibility for the provision of road and rail links and must make that investment itself rather than shift the burden onto port developers and their customers.