Investing in our road network is key for the economy

By James Barwise - RHA Policy Lead for Infrastructure

The UK road network is the lifeblood of our economy. It connects our towns, cities, communities and our businesses. It is this frictionless movement of goods on our road network that allows for business to grow, local economies to thrive, and with that, new sectors and jobs to be created. A threat to the reliability of our road network, therefore, is a threat to the nation’s economic recovery, and its long-term commercial prospects.

It is estimated that congestion costs the UK economy £30.8bn a year. This works out at an average cost per driver of £968 a year, which includes direct costs like wasted time and fuel and indirect costs to HGV, LGV and coach businesses nationwide, such as increased prices through delays in production. 

In the road transport sector, this is felt even more acutely, with congestion alone estimated to account for 16% of the cost of road freight, equivalent to around £6bn a year. The cost of an HGV stuck in stationary traffic for an hour is £120, a crippling cost at a time when hauliers are under significant financial pressures.

The general election comes at a pivotal moment for the future of our road network. Over the coming months, National Highways will announce what is contained in their third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), outlining how much they will have to spend investing our network, and which schemes in particular they will be focusing on.

Over the past year, we have lobbied government at all levels and articulated our concerns about this document, and advocated for more money to be spent on schemes that will improve journey reliability for hauliers. We therefore call on candidates to pledge that they will not accept a RIS3 which is underfunded and unambitious.

Investment in our road network throughout the last decade has significantly boosted national productivity. Looking to the future, there are opportunities throughout this country to unlock further economic growth through such ground-breaking schemes as Lower Thames Crossing. However, these major road-building schemes are subject to the lengthy and bureaucratic Development Consent Order (DCO) process. The timespan for a decision on DCO projects increased by 65% between 2012 and 2021 from 2.6 to 4.2 years.

Investing in our road network is a long-term investment in our nation's economy. In this General Election, we therefore call on candidates to prioritise the reform of this process, to deliver essential infrastructure quickly and unlock economic growth. As the largest dedicated trade association representing HGVs, LGVs and Coaches, we are actively campaigning for the UK and devolved governments and local authorities to maintain and extend commitments to long-term investment in the road system – on the strategic road network, the major road network, and other major local roads. 

You can read more about our infrastructure campaign HERE.