Roads boost unveiled
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• The Government plans to spend 23 billion on Britain's roads over the next three years — but hauliers' and other road-users' organisations say it is not enough.
Up to £2 billion will be spent on new roads and a further 21 billion on maintenance, says Transport Secretary Paul Charmon. He plans to eliminate road-repair backlogs on motorways and trunk roads by 1992.
Road building priorities include extending the M40 from Oxford to Birmingham; the AlM1 link in the Midlands; the A69 Newcastle bypass; the M20 between Ashford and Maidstone and improvements to London's North Circular.
The Department of Transport has also earmarked funds for a 15-year programme of bridge-maintenance projects.
The Freight Transport Association has called the white paper detailing government spending plans a "rather grey paper — there is nothing new in it". The British Road Federation, an umbrella group for road-users associations, claims that spending on roads is being cut in real terms — the "small cash increases will be eaten away by inflation", it says.
Traffic growth is contributing to Treasury tax receipts, says the BRF, and the Government should spend more to accelerate the road-building programme and alleviate the congestion that traffic growth is causing. "The Chancellor wants to take credit for the improving economy which generates extra traffic, but he will not face up to the responsibility of funding an adequate road system," says the association.
The ETA has welcomed the bridge-strengthening plans, but warns that the 15-year timescale is too long: "The Govern1 ment is recognising the problem, but we need those bridges now," it says.
The DTp is spending 21.5 million to research RO-RO ferry safety following the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry disaster, and has allocated record amounts for public transport. Most of this is destined for British Rail.
The National Bus Company, which is selling its subsidiaries piecemeal, has every prospect of completing the sale in advance of the statutory deadline on 6 January 1989, says the department.