Charter hides clogged roads
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by Mary Williams • The truth about congestion levels on Britain's roads is being covered up by the DOT, say roads campaigners.
The Department of Transport had the opportunity to publish detailed statistics about traffic density and length of delays in the Road Users's Charter it launched last week. Such figures could be used for setting clear targets for reducing delays.
However, despite collating information about congestion for the past four years, the Government has chosen to keep the figures under wraps. Instead, it says it will "minimise" maintenance disruption; guarantee that roadworks will be no more than 2.5 miles long and at least six miles apart; and ensure that a minimum of 95% of the total motorway and trunk roads network will be available to drivers.
But campaigners believe there is little comfort to be gained from a commitment to keep most of the road network open if it remains heavily congested. Road use is expected to double by 2025.
"The Government was frightened," says Paul Everitt, assistant director of the British Road Federation. "It realised that if the information became available then people could judge that things were not improving and demand action. The DOT said it was not appropriate to release the information."
• Trafficmaster, the route guidance system which provides the Government with congestion figures, may soon be available to transport companies,