UK road network is vital to economic growth

The road network is vital to economic growth across the country. After all, our roads connect towns, cities, communities and businesses. It’s the frictionless movement of goods that allows businesses to grow and allows jobs to be created. 

If we are to usher in an age of economic recovery, leading to growth, then focusing on roads is a good starting point.

Congestion costs the UK economy over £30 Billion a year. This includes direct costs like time wasted and fuel and indirect costs to businesses, such as increased prices through delays in production.

As we await more detail on the Government’s long-term infrastructure strategy, we must ensure that needs of road freight, van and coach operators are considered. 

Efficient journey times are key for productivity and as an association, we’ll continue to campaign to ensure that roads are better maintained and have the capacity to reduce congestion. 

We’ll therefore continue to call on the Government to provide significant investment in the Strategic Road Network to alleviate bottlenecks and ensure that firms can undertake journeys reliably. 

Before the election, we called for a review of the National Planning Policy Framework. We then responded to the new Government’s consultation on a new draft version of the NPPF. 

In our response we offered recommendations on how more can be done to improve safe and secure parking and facilities, green infrastructure and work on improving the relationship between freight, logistics and local planning.

Over the past year, we’ve made good progress by engaging with government at a local level and articulating our concerns. 

As councils manage local highways, road maintenance, and are responsible for shaping the economic landscape in their regions, we continue to work with them to help them understand the needs of our sector and to work towards reforming planning. 

We’re ready to work collaboratively with decision-makers and stakeholders to see essential infrastructure delivered quickly. 

Through the work of the Task and Finish Group for Driver facilities, we’re also making the case for more roadside facilities and secure parking. 

The needs of the road transport sector must be incorporated into local planning projects. As the largest dedicated trade association representing the needs of HGVs, LGVs and Coaches, we're actively campaigning for the UK and devolved governments to maintain and extend commitments to investment in our road system. 

We welcome all efforts to mend broken roads. It’s also key that funding is made available for a fresh pipeline of infrastructure projects to kickstart a new age of job creation and growth.

The road network is our members’ workplace. A nation depends on our industry every single day and so, businesses throughout our country need a road network which is fit for the needs of a modern economy.

We look forward to engaging with the next Transport Secretary on all of this.