Ageing infrastructures report graphic
Key findings of the ageing infrastructure report
The ‘Reviving our ageing infrastructure’ report brings together the expertise of engineers, asset managers and policy professionals across the water, flood defence and transport industries to confront the ‘tipping point’ facing civil linear ageing infrastructure in the UK.
As pressures from climate change, public demand and other factors continue to grow, so does the urgency to ensure that these ageing assets can continue to serve society and economic growth. Investing now in proactive maintenance offers extremely high value for money (saving £5–£10 for every £1 spent) and safeguards essential services.
The report delves not only into the why but also the how, by identifying seven key enablers of change, from skills and capability to data and regulation, and fifteen urgent actions. It builds on interviews and workshops with experts from industry, academia, civil society and policymakers to take a cross-sector approach toward long-term public value through better stewardship.
The seven enablers of change
This report identifies seven cross-cutting enablers of change:
- Outcomes, regulation and standards: We require a long-term vision for reliable and resilient infrastructure that meets future societal needs, underpinned by regulations and standards.
- Financing for the long-term: A long-term financing with the flexibility to optimally balance proactive maintenance, renewal, and enhancement of infrastructure assets.
- Skills and capability: A well-supported, respected and skilled workforce, equipped to develop and deploy new and established techniques, to steward the UK’s ageing infrastructure systems.
- Data Accurate data and digital tools: They must be the backbone of proactive infrastructure management, turning status and trend information into actionable insight to optimise the nature and timing of maintenance and renewal interventions.
- Innovation: Plans to actively encourage purpose-driven and collaborative innovation to extend the life of ageing infrastructure to minimise cost and disruption.
- Societal awareness: A new narrative needs to be fostered where maintenance, renewal, and enhancement of existing infrastructure are valued, and the trade-offs between them can be productively debated.
- System Coordination: Enhancing coordination across infrastructure systems through clear roles, aligned governance, and shared information, enabling effective stewardship of assets that span sectors, regions and authorities.
Across each enabler, the report sets out fifteen urgent actions that policymakers, asset owners and engineers need to take now so that we can use the UK’s infrastructure is resilient and delivers long-term public value.
The scale of the ageing infrastructure challenge
Water and wastewater
- In England and Wales, around 60% of mains infrastructure was built before 1981
- 19% of public water supply in England is lost to leaks
- The average replacement rate of sewers and potable water mains is 0.1%, implying asset lives of up to 1000 years.
Flood defences
- On average, around 700 flood events are recorded in England each year
- Environment Agency assets are, on average, 60% of the way through their useful economic life
- In 2023, over 250,000 homes were at an increased flood risk due to flood defence assets being below their required condition.
Rail and road transport
- 17% of the local road network in England and Wales is in poor condition
- Congestion and deteriorating road surfaces are estimated to cost the UK economy £30 billion per year
- 25% of all rail delays are caused by faults with infrastructure assets, with a 50% increase in impacts on assets from weather events recorded over the past five years.
What are the problems with infrastructure in the UK?
Water and wastewater
Much of the network is ageing, with some pipes over 100 years old and leakage rates high: around 19% of public water supply is lost in England, with even higher losses in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Sewer systems also lack the capacity to cope with growing demand and extreme weather, contributing to pollution events and increasing risks to public health and the environment.
Flood defences
Flooding is one of the UK’s most persistent and costly risks, with around 700 events recorded annually in England. These events cause major disruption to homes, transport, and public services. The Environment Agency manages thousands of flood defence structures but ageing assets and growing climate pressures mean many systems facing pressures they weren’t designed to withstand.
Transport
Historic underinvestment in local roads means that they are resurfaced only once every 93 years on average. Rail faces similar issues, with Network Rail projecting that its assets are ageing faster than it can afford to renew them, which risks reliability in the years ahead.
Ageing infrastructure opportunities
Given the need and urgency of change, this report goes beyond the why to examine how we should change the way we manage our ageing infrastructure. There is growing recognition that maintaining and optimising existing infrastructure is essential for economic growth, public safety, and climate resilience. Achieving this requires better data, skilled people, and innovative delivery, alongside coordination between national policy, regulators, and local agencies. If the UK succeeds, it can lead globally in infrastructure stewardship, exporting expertise and strengthening its reputation.
Proactive maintenance is far cheaper than failure and reduces the carbon impact of replacing assets. However, ageing systems cannot be repaired indefinitely, so informed choices are needed to balance maintenance, renewal, and enhancement. Extending asset life not only saves money but also supports climate goals, making this a major opportunity for engineers and policymakers.
What happens next?
Infrastructure affects everyone. Our research and engagement highlight the urgent need for a coordinated approach across all seven enablers of change to prioritise infrastructure stewardship effectively. We will work with NEPC partners to develop a shared understanding of the UK’s asset base and mature our enablers into pathways for positive action and change.
Contact us
For further information about this report, or to share evidence on the issue of ageing infrastructure, please contact the Royal Academy of Engineering team.
Acknowledgements
The report has been developed by the National Engineering Policy Centre, led by the Royal Academy of Engineering, in collaboration with the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, the Institute of Highway Engineers, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Institute of Water, the Permanent Way Institution, and the Institute of Asset Management.
We would also like to thank members of the Working Group, Reviewers and staff for their contributions to this publication.
Additional information about the National Engineering Policy Centre Working Group can be found at the end of the report.
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