ARE YOU driving on one of the UK’s slowest motorways, where the …
Britain’s slowest motorways are so outdated and in need of repairs that they’re stifling economic growth, a new report warns.
The roads, many of which were originally designed in the 1960s, create financial disparities between regions – particularly within “major Midlands and Northern cities”.
A report released by the National Infrastructure Commission and sent to the Departments of Treasury and Transportation found that some of the country’s slowest state highways have average speeds below 30 miles per hour.
The A40 between Cheltenham and Oxford, the A27 between Brighton and Eastbourne and the A52 between Grantham and Nottingham were all identified as in need of urgent investment.
The report also highlighted concerns about the quality of the road networks around the main ports of Southampton and Dover, where freight distribution often causes severe congestion.
Heavy traffic on the A13, one of the UK’s slowest A roads, at Christmas last year
Britain’s slowest trunk roads stunt economic growth
A40 between Cheltenham and Oxford
A27 between Brighton and Eastbourne
A52 between Grantham and Nottingham
A690 between Sunderland and Durham
A570 between Southport and St Helens
A61 between Sheffield and Chesterfield
A47 between Peterborough and King’s Lynn
A421 through Milton Keynes between M1 and M40
A418 between Oxford and the M1
A13 and A127 in South Essex
A45 and A605 between Northampton and Peterborough
A4 West London
A20 Dover
The report also included key sections connecting cities and towns to local motorway networks, including around Sunderland and Sheffield.
It states: “Most of the network’s major links were originally designed in the 1960s and a number of structures need to be renewed or revised to extend their lifespan.
“Risks related to aging assets, heavy usage, extreme weather associated with climate change, a maintenance backlog on local roads and, in some cases, a lack of alternative routes pose increasing resilience challenges.”
It outlines a strategy to increase growth in underperforming regions and adds: “In order to achieve this strategic goal, the economy of regional cities in particular must be supported.
“Large cities in the Midlands and the North are not reaching their productivity potential, which is the main reason for the overall disparities between regions.
“Providing good transport links between them is a necessary – if not sufficient – condition for improving economic performance.
“High-income cities tend to be located near higher-productivity cities, suggesting that the benefits of successful cities spread to their surrounding regions.”
Improving road networks could allow underperforming regions “to specialize in certain sectors and increase their productivity,” it said.
Driving remains the primary form of travel for the majority of Brits, with 82 per cent of personal journeys of more than 10 miles being made by car.
Around 77 percent of domestic freight traffic is also moved by road.
The report also highlighted concerns about the quality of the road network around the main ports at Southampton and Dover. Pictured: Traffic on the A20 to get to the Port of Dover in Kent last week
Heavy traffic is pictured along the A4 Hammersmith Flyover which has been identified as one of the UK’s slowest A roads
The report suggests that an increase in the supply of transport infrastructure could boost GDP by as much as 0.06 percent.
The three recommendations of the National Infrastructure Commission’s Road Investment Strategy
As the government develops its road investment strategy, including the release of its draft road investment strategy this summer, it should:
– Established a long-term vision for the road network that reflects the network’s role in providing and maintaining connectivity and supporting growth in all regions
– Commit that the government will do whatever is necessary to ensure that its road strategy improves the environment and meets decarbonization commitments
– Use the economic principles outlined here and the prioritization method to identify corridors for future system development that would help reduce regional economic disparities as a long-term pipeline
The magnitude of the impact is also said to be greater for roads than would be the case with the development of Britain’s rail network.
However, the report acknowledged that the development of the UK’s road network would currently lead to further adverse effects on environmental issues such as biodiversity and air quality.
Transport accounts for almost a quarter of the UK’s total carbon emissions – the largest of any sector.
Sir John Armitt, chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission, said: “Removing bottlenecks is crucial to boosting trade between key cities and freight hubs, but it must not come at the expense of the environment.
“We must flex every sinew to enable drivers to switch to electric vehicles with confidence and make road construction less carbon-intensive.”
The report makes a number of recommendations, including urging the government to articulate a vision that will ensure that high-performing regions sustain economic performance and support faster growth in low-performing regions.
It also said the government must identify corridors for future development that would help narrow economic disparities.
It comes after research by Forbes Advisor revealed last month that motorways in England and Wales need £14billion in repairs and that there are 22,600 miles of road in “poor” overall condition – almost the same length as the equator.
The Welsh Government also scrapped all of the country’s major road projects in February to put environmental concerns first.
The decision was announced by Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, who said any future infrastructure projects must now “reduce carbon emissions and support a shift towards public transport, walking and cycling”.
It followed a year-long review by the Welsh Roads Review Panel, set up in September 2021 and led by traffic expert Dr. Lynn Sloman, in which 55 road projects were halted and re-evaluated.