Government must rethink roads strategy: RAC Foundation

The government needs to rethink its roads policy in order to avoid gridlock, according to a new report from the RAC Foundation.

The organisation has produced an alternative roads programme of strategic improvements worth £20 billion over the next 10 years after it became concerned by the "dire and growing congestion on our roads".

Whilst major recent announcements have been made on increased airport capacity, and commitments to massive expenditure on railways, the Foundation slammed the government's approach to roads as "ad hoc" and "short term".

Latest figures from the government’s 'Transport Trends' show that the road network has not kept pace with demand, the RAC said, as road traffic has grown by 75% between 1980 and 2002 – but the total length of roads has increased by only 10%.

A higher proportion of the £44 billion a year road users pay in taxes should be diverted into road improvements. Currently, less than £6 billion is spent on roads, the Foundation claimed.

The RAC Foundation has urged the government to:

• get on with the projects already approved - including widening M1, M6, M25, A12
• reconsider their rejection of A27 improvements on the South Coast and the Western Orbital Route around the West Midlands as recommended by Multi-Modal Studies
• reconsider the need to widen key sections of the M4 and M3 which the Thames Valley Multi-Modal Study failed to address satisfactorily
• improve some essential links to fill gaps in the strategic network
• and relieve major bottlenecks and for a short new link between the M1 and A1.

For the longer term, a comprehensive review is needed to establish priorities in terms of the objectives for the network over the next 30 to 50 years, the report stated.

The Foundation said that by putting key sections of route in tunnel through the most sensitive areas that presses the environmental impact of the plan would be reduced.

David Holmes, RAC Foundation Chairman, said: "We claim to be the fourth largest economy in the world so surely we can afford a decent road system to support economic growth.

"We need to get out of the current mess by speeding up schemes and setting tight timetables for improvements.

He added: "The government is right to plan ahead to meet the needs for air transport. We need a similar vision for strategic roads, which carry the vast bulk of passengers and freight."

(gmcg)