Traffic increases despite costs
Page 13
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DESPITE 70 per cent higher fuel costs and higher road taxes the number of cars and commercial vehicles in use increased during 1974. This is disclosed in Basic Road Statistics 1975, the latest annual survey of the British Road Federation.
Traffic growth is expected to increase from 151m vehicle miles in 1975 to 258m vehicle miles by 2000. This represents a rise of 7Ipc, assuming low economic growth and higher fuel prices.
The BRF report includes sections on international comparisons for the first time.
In terms of road taxation and road expenditure as percentages of State revenue in 1973, the West German government received 9.2pc in road taxation and spent 9.1pc on roads. The gap between taxation and expenditure in Britain is shown by the fact that government received 12.6pc in taxes and spent 5.4pc.
In freight transport, the road proportion of road/rail ton-mileage has increased slightly from 78.2pc in 1973 to 78.8pc in 1974. The road proportion of road/rail tonnage also rose from 89.8pc in 1973 to 90.7pc in 1974.
Road casualties totalled 324,602 in 1974, the lowest since 1958. Injury accidents per thousand million vehicle miles have been steadily decreasing to an all-time low in 1974 of 240 for motorways compared with 800 for rural A roads. The estimated cost of road accidents in 1974 was about £700m.
The report is published by the British Road Federation, 26 Manchester Sq, London W1M 5RF, price El.