An open letter from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and industry leaders is calling for a recommitment from the next UK prime minister to existing infrastructure plans after recent budgetary cuts and political departures.

The letter follows the resignation of current PM Keir Starmer and urges whoever steps into his role to ‘stay the course' when it comes to infrastructure plans.

It has been signed by 27 people representing organisations such as the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), AECOM  Kier Group, Balfour Beatty, AtkinsRéalis, and others from the infrastructure sector.

The letter warns that ‘political uncertainty' can undermine progress in the sector, prompting the call for an immediate recommitment from the next PM to the existing 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy.

Published just last year, the £725bn strategy set out the role of the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) in improving infrastructure delivery, as well as changes to how projects receive approval and plans from the Cabinet Office to review ‘existing resilience standards'.

‘The real achievement of the strategy,' the letter states, ‘is its unifying vision'.

'It offers a clear picture of how to plan, prioritise, and deliver infrastructure that policymakers and industry support. Now is not the time to rip up plans and go back to square one. The sector will support the incoming government, but we need to stay focused on turning strategy into delivery: executing existing plans, building capacity, and fulfilling planned regulatory reforms.'

Currently, only Andy Burnham MP is in the running for the top job, but whoever takes on the role will be the seventh PM the UK has had in 10 years.

This letter also follows the announcement of £800m of cuts for the Department for Transport (DfT), which came just months after the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) was published.

The letter concluded by saying: ‘We have the knowledge to deliver the transformational infrastructure the UK needs. What we require now is the political consistency to see it through.'

Read the full letter here.