The Governance of Polycentric National Infrastructure Systems: Evidence from the UK National Infrastructure Plan

Conventionally the notion of how states `infrastructured’ was based around the premise of state based mono-centrism positive state as the most effective means of alleviating market failures in infrastructure provision. The progressive liberalisation of infrastructure over the past three decades has given rise to the emergence of a polycentric national infrastructure system (NIS). This polycentric NIS exhibits a higher degree of structural, spatial, and operational complexity with state being one player amongst many forming infrastructure. However the state still plays a prominent role in the NIS not just through its own activities but also seeking to steer the system to enable its infrastructural mandate. This is done through the formal interaction between hard and soft infrastructure (with the later characterised by themes of sustainability, consistency and criticality) components of the NIS. Through an examination of the strategy deployed by the UK since 2010 through its National Infrastructure Plan, the formation of infrastructure is characterised by sustainable polycentrism though this strategy has yet to deliver the investment anticipated.
Conventionally how states `infrastructured’ was based around the mono-centrism of the positive state. The progressive liberalisation of infrastructure over the past three decades has given rise to polycentric national infrastructure systems (NIS). This polycentric NIS exhibits a higher degree of structural, spatial, and operational complexity with the state being one player though it still plays a prominent role not just through its own activities but also in seeking to steer the system to meets its territorial objectives. This is done through the formal interaction between hard and soft infrastructure (with the later characterised by themes of sustainability, consistency and criticality) components of the NIS. These themes are explored through an analysis of the UK’s National Infrastructure Plan where – it is argued - the formation of the UK NIS is characterised by a strategy of sustainable polycentrism though this strategy has yet to deliver the investment anticipated.