Reports highlight poor state of UK’s crumbling road network
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By Chris Druce THE UK’S ROADS are inferior to EU rivals and getting worse, according to a major new survey.
Making The Right Connections, published by the CBI and KPMG, surveyed 477 businesses and found that 58% of them rate the UK’s infrastructure as worse than EU countries when judged on quality, value for money and reliability.
Despite the UK’s high business rates compared to international rivals, nearly two-thirds (65%) of businesses believe the UK’s local road network has deteriorated in the past ive years. Almost half (47%) the irms surveyed rate the UK’s transport network as below average by international standards, against just 13% who see it as above average.
The CBI says swift investment in UK roads and a move to cut the red tape that currently hampers fresh capital investment is vital if the UK is not to slip further down the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness rankings. It was ranked 33rd last year.
A separate survey by the Asphalt Industry Alliance reinforces the image of a crumbling road network. More than half the 204 councillors from England and Wales who took part in a survey at the Local Government Group annual conference this summer said the £200m from central government in early 2011 to repair winter road damage was not enough. The shortfall was £895m in 2010/2011, and an estimated £10.65bn is needed to return the roads to a reasonable condition.
Jack Semple, director of policy at the Road Haulage Association, says the reports echo points the association has been making for years. “Estimates put the cost of congestion to the UK at around the £20bn mark already, and due to a lack of central government leadership and budget cuts local councils are reducing local road capacity.” Freight Transport Assocation chief executive Theo de Pencier adds: “The CBI report should be compulsory reading for ministers. It makes a compelling case for speedy delivery of smarter transport infrastructure on the back of 81% of companies saying that it is vital to encourage investment.”