Roads - Fix the fixables but plan for the future
July 15, 2003

The Freight Transport Association says that the remedy to the roads problem has to lie in a classic combination of current actions and future planning, notably for road user charging. For far too long successive governments have chosen to do ‘just enough’ to keep things going. But such a policy risks future disaster when traffic demand outstrips roads supply to a critical degree.

FTA Chief Executive Richard Turner told a conference in London today (Tuesday 15 July) that roads have for too long been the victim of inaccurate forecasting regarding growth and that government was guilty of ignoring warnings of looming problems. Actions taken had been limited to life support, adequate only to keep the patient alive but lacking in the radical surgery required to make him recover.

Mr Turner said, ‘Alistair Darling’s motorway widening and other announcements last week were very welcome. Much can and must be done to improve the supply of roads and the capacity of the network. We are a long way from all these actions being exhausted. But we must start the planning for the inevitable time when they are insufficient and demand management is needed. Mr Darling is absolutely right to start now on planning for road user charging for all vehicles. Not as an admission of failure, nor despair, and importantly not as a substitute for future investment, but as a sound business like approach which will give the economy, the industry and our customers confidence in the future.

‘This should not be a controversial issue. What could be worse than a Government doing nothing and then presiding over growth in the economy being impeded by worsening congestion which is already reducing our personal freedom.

‘The process underway for the introduction of Lorry Road User Charging in 2006 has already established some of the key principles. Constant in FTA discussions with The Treasury has been the promise that road user charging would result in no net increases in taxation. A similar guarantee to other road users must be an essential first step to underpin the debate and reassure the public that it is a genuine attempt to tackle congestion and not a new method of indirect tax.

‘The charge must also differentiate between travel at different times of day, by different types of vehicle (especially less polluting models) and on different types of road. This is important so that road users can see ways to reduce their costs of road use by changing travel behaviour.

‘Road users must see that they are getting value for money, something that is impossible to achieve with the current tax arrangements. UK users already pay a disproportionate amount of road taxes compared with what is spent. This is deeply resented by lorry operators and motorists. Changing to payment at the point of use gives the user a comparison of cost and value and puts Government in the position of seeing users as customers of the road network. In return road users must be able to deal with an accountable entity that is responsible, for all aspects: operation, maintenance and development.’

Mr Turner was addressing ‘Successfully Tackling Congestion’ organised by QMW Public Policy Seminars.

Last updated: Wed Jul 21 14:20:06 2004