AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

'Some 5,700km of Britain's major roads need urgent repair' 13

29th May 1997, Page 51
29th May 1997
Page 51
Page 51, 29th May 1997 — 'Some 5,700km of Britain's major roads need urgent repair' 13
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

ritain is looking to the new Labour Government to deliver a new deal for transport. Top priority must be given to developing a stable, long-term investment programme which delivers the high-quality transport infrastructure that the economy and the environment need. In recent years, changes in policy, cuts in expenditure and a failure to focus on clear objectives have undermined the competitiveness of those in the transport industry. The powerful position of John Prescott and his familiarity with the transport brief should mean that issues of concern receive more attention around the Cabinet table.

The new Government's proposals for transport will be constrained by the Budget, Funding commitments and the situation inherited after 18 years of Conservative rule. There is a need for a new approach to roads policy, one that recognises the need to protect and enhance the environment, but one that also acknowledges the economic importance of road transport. This must mean greater emphasis on road maintenance and measures to better manage the traffic on the roads we already have.

It should also mean more effort to reduce the noise and visual intrusion associated with the existing road network and more money for the bypasses that relieve communities of heavy traffic. The latest official survey shows that some 5,700km of Britain's major roads need urgent structural repair and that a Further 4,410km will need attention in the next four years. The poor condition of the road network means more congestion—a third of all the incidents that cause congestion are related to poor road maintenance. It also means more accidents and the corrosion of journey time reliability. To address this problem we need an independent inspector of roads with the power to set national standards for road maintenance and the ability to enforce them.

Operators and manufacturers have spent vast sums of money buying and developing low-emission and low-noise vehicles. They are continually encouraged to adopt best practice and reduce the impact of vehicles on the environment. Yet those responsible For the nation's road network have not been so far-sighted. Despite the availability of low-noise road surfaces and advanced noise barriers, there is a reluctance to use these to improve the environmental performance of the roads themselves. This must change. In the Netherlands it is estimated that during the past decade, despite the growth in traffic, no more people are affected by noise from road traffic than were 10 years ago. They have a 'programme for equipping old roads with new technology; already about 40% of main roads in the country are surfaced with quieter materials. Britain must do the same.

To afford the necessary improvements a way must be found to encourage the greater use of private capital in the provision of infrastructure. This could involve earmarking some of the revenue from the annual increase in Fuel duties. At present only 25% of the 224on-plus that road users pay in vehicle and Fuel taxes is spent on the maintenance, management and improvement of the road system. A small increase in this proportion would transform the quality of service.

Tags

Organisations: Labour Government
People: John Prescott

comments powered by Disqus