Manufacturers have called for a new infrastructure authority to be established to co-ordinate channeling investment into roads and energy.

Manufacturers’ organisation EEF said it was needed to end decades of “political wrangling and poor planning.”

The business group said there were continued concerns over the Britain’s “neglected” road and energy infrastructure, as well as “prevarication” over expanding airport capacity.

EEF policy advisor Chris Richards said: “The neglect of our roads, the indecision on expanding airport capacity and the agonising over high-speed rail routes connecting our major cities have only served to exacerbate the feeling that Britain’s infrastructure is not geared up to support growth.”

Labour shadow chief Treasury secretary Chris Leslie said: “The EEF is right to say we need a new approach to address Britain’s long-term infrastructure needs.”

He called on other parties to sign up to creating such an authority, but a Treasury spokesman insisted the government’s National Infrastructure Plan was sufficient.