• Macquarie Group commits £20 billion to UK investments, including nationwide rollout of fast-charging EV infrastructure.
• Roadchef, a Macquarie portfolio company, will install around 650 fast-charging points across its motorway service areas.
• Investments span energy, utilities, transport, waste, and digital infrastructure across England, Wales, and Scotland.

Macquarie Group’s Managing Director and CEO, Shemara Wikramanayake, announced the Australian financial services group’s plan to invest £20 billion across its UK portfolio. A key highlight is the support for a nationwide rollout of fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure.

Why it matters:

The investment underscores Macquarie’s commitment to UK infrastructure, focusing on sustainable developments that drive economic growth and support the transition to clean energy.

Details:

• Roadchef, one of Britain’s leading motorway service area operators and a Macquarie portfolio company, will install approximately 650 fast-charging EV points across most of its sites in partnership with other entities.
• The upgraded EV charging facilities will be partly powered by 9 MW of new on-site solar energy capacity.
• Roadchef will pilot charging solutions for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) at two key motorway locations and develop 100 additional parking bays in preparation for electric HGVs.

What they’re saying:

“We believe that infrastructure investment helps create strong foundations for economic growth, job creation, better services for the public, and stronger communities. We are fully invested in the UK’s success and look forward to playing our part in delivering the investment the country needs.“
— Shemara Wikramanayake, Managing Director and CEO of Macquarie Group

Broader Investment Plans:

Macquarie’s £20 billion investment package includes:

• 5 GW of new offshore wind developments, including projects off the Orkney and Lincolnshire coasts.
• Development of new solar power and battery energy storage projects, such as the UK’s largest new solar project in Nottinghamshire by Island Green Power.
• Upgrades to the gas transmission network and distribution networks supplying gas to 11 million homes and businesses across several regions.
• Enhancement of digital infrastructure, including the rollout of ultra-fast full fibre and gigabit wireless broadband to rural communities from Somerset to Cumbria.
• Investment in the creation of new homes in cities like Edinburgh and Birmingham.
• Support for high-potential UK companies in utilities connections, wind farm analytics, and smart metering, led from Glasgow, Nottingham, and Watford.
• Investment to build the UK’s first reservoir in 30 years and upgrades to essential water and wastewater infrastructure across England’s South East.

Background:

• London was Macquarie’s first international expansion location in 1989.
• Since then, Macquarie has supported more than £60 billion of investment in UK infrastructure.

The bottom line: Macquarie’s substantial investment signals strong confidence in the UK’s infrastructure sector and a commitment to sustainable growth and technological advancement across the nation.