Historically, Government s relationship with the ports industry has been confined largely to the endowment of duties and powers. There has been a strong recent emphasis on de-regulation in the industry, aiming to stimulate it by exposure to market forces. The need for an integrated transport policy has been neglected in the last twenty years, and the role of ports in such a strategy has not been adequately considered. Integrated transport policy aims to meet the needs of port customers sustainably. Customers want not just port facilities, but good connections to their destinations whether by road, rail or sea.
Many ports have good connections to all three forms of surface transport.
Transport policy is now firmly based on a partnership between the public and private sectors to improve transport, and to deliver a better quality of life for everyone. The 10 Year Plan , which set out plans for substantially increased spending of 180 billion over the next ten years to modernise the transport system. Apart from provision for railways and road safety, the Plan focuses on land transport in England, including improvements in surface access to ports and airports. It does not cover the role of shipping, which was set out in British Shipping Charting a New Course . Nor does it look in detail at private investment in the ports industry.