Road congestion 'could increase by over 1/3 by 2025'

Date: 25/2/2010

Congestion on Britain's roads could increase by over a third over the next 15 years if investment levels do not increase, a new report has forecast.

A total of 656 million hours a year could be wasted by motorists sitting in traffic jams if conditions do not improve by 2025, a report by the Road Users' Alliance has predicted.

The report also stated the transport system in the UK is already over-congested, vulnerable to incident and inadequate for future requirements, due to lack of investment.

It added that no new motorway miles were created in 2007 and 2008 and that investment levels in motorway capacity were among the lowest in Europe.

The RUA report stated that just £4 billion a year is invested in road capacity, £47 billion is collected in road user levies.

RUA director Tim Green commented on the findings: "Hard choices face whichever party leader finds himself in Downing Street after the election.

"Will limited funds be spent on rail, which moves fewer than ten per cent of UK passengers, or invested in the transport mode which makes the biggest contribution to the UK's prosperity and quality of life - the road network?"