Copper’s Martin McCrink this week spoke to the Global Infrastructure Investment Association about public perceptions of infrastructure in the UK.
Copper was invited to discuss how the infrastructure sector needs to create a narrative to help the public understand how the sector is funded, the benefits it delivers and the issues it helps to overcome.
Speakers at the conference, hosted by KPMG and Ashurst, included Tim Shipman, the political editor of the Sunday Times; Professor Matt Goodwin at the University of Kent; Sir Adrian Montague, Chairman of AVIVA and Board Chairman of Cadent; Andy Rose, CEO of Global Infrastructure Investment Association; Cathryn Ross, Director of Regulatory Affairs at BT Group Plc and Christine Allen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Christian Aid.
Copper director Martin McCrink said: “Copper’s own research on public attitudes to infrastructure points to a significant public desire for improved infrastructure, but where issues are not communicated properly, people are less likely to demonstrate their support. It’s up to those managing individual projects and the infrastructure sector more widely to explain the benefits that development can bring. It’s equally important that finance mechanisms are communicated to the public. If we fail to do this, the risk to delivery could be heightened as a result of public misunderstanding and avoidable opposition.”
Copper seeks to reduce risk to major projects through specialist communications and engagement.
