Mixed views over proposals to privatise Britain’s motorways

Date posted: October 8, 2012

According to reports, motorists may see the cost of driving rise and, surprisingly, it’s not all down to fuel costs this time.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has proposed to privatise motorway and A-roads and introduce tolling in a bid to overhaul how the roads are paid for. The introduction of road tolls would accumulate a huge cash injection – millions of pounds in fact – which would be used to tackle tailbacks on Britain’s highways network.

The CBI states that a “gear change in investment, performance and efficiency” is need to “drag the country’s infrastructure into the 21st century.”

“Studies have revealed that the UK economy is already losing up to £8bn a year from congestion on the roads, and the figure is predicted to rise to up to £22bn by 2025,” says a report.

There’s no doubt that controversy over the proposal will be raised amongst motorists, especially as nearly £10 billion of the £48.2 billion they pay in tax is already being spent on improving and maintaining Britain’s road network.

CBI’s Director John Cridland, explained that the case for new funding solutions is will get the economy moving again.

“Every day, people up and down the UK lost time and money because of our clogged-up roads.

“Whether you’re a business waiting for an urgent delivery, or a commuter stuck in the morning rush-hour, gridlock is an all too familiar tale of life in the UK.”

He continued, “With public spending checked, the case for new funding solutions is even more compelling, and the Government recognises this. Infrastructure matters to business, and delivering upgrade to our networks is one of the highest priorities for the CBI to get the economy moving again.”