The biggest upgrade of UK road and transport infrastructure in history has been assured thanks to a £28 billion government plan.
The funding, which includes £500 million to pay for electric and low carbon vehicle development, was announced in June but has now been guaranteed in a government paper.
An additional £12 billion has been set aside to bring some of the UK's worst roads up to standard - half of that money will be used for repair and maintenance.
After years of sub-standard investment in repairing potholes and damaged road surfaces, the government now aims to have 80 per cent of motorways and A-roads repaired by 2020.
221 extra miles of managed motorways will also be introduced, and important freight routes - like the A14 and M4 - will be widened to four lanes at their busiest sections.
The government has also guaranteed that if there is a change of government the money would be ringfenced.
The Department for Transport also says it is carrying out studies to decide how to improve some of our most notorious traffic hotspots - such as the A303 and A1.
The SMMT has welcomed the move, interim boss Mike Baunton said that the guarantee of £500 million for low carbon vehicle development was: "Excellent news for the UK automotive industry and its position as a global leader for new technological development.
"Government’s £500 million funding and longer-term commitment will provide industry and investors with much needed certainty to research, develop and manufacture the next generation of clean, fuel-efficient vehicles in the UK."
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Infrastructure
Managed motorways might be the way to go because nobody will ever pay for toll roads, i.e. M6 Toll is a huge flop.
Want to improve infrastructure? Start from the bottom then work your way to the top issues.
Potholes is a major factor is because only the UK uses the oldest techniques possible. In Europe they use a machine that cuts a square section of the pothole and reconstructs the surface. It might be a higher cost to purchase but in the long run it works cheaper than those "dodgy workers".
On the other hand if you've never been to Switch Island (north of Liverpool) don't as this is an absolute nightmare with 2 motorways and 3 roads joining all at once!
lucasworldcars
It always makes me smile to see the new speed camera/road sign gantries (sp.) going up when driving past the Birmingham roadworks when the actual road itself has deep enough pot holes to redirect your wheels.
The M6 toll would be amazing if they priced it correctly. I'm not paying £11 to knock off probably 15 minutes off a round trip due to the roadworks, if it was £2/2.50 each way I might be more tempted.
Managed Motorways employ
Managed Motorways employ speed camera's to control flow. Even when the road is quiet they could be switched on. Government said they would never use speed camera's on motorways as they were safe and there was no need. It now looks as though we will have over 200 miles of motorway with camera's ... Enjoy
Andrew 61 wrote: Managed
Yes, and it also includes the use of the hard shoulder as an extra lane at certain times.
Extra lane
Or, as in my experience, you see people using the hard shoulder whether or not it's officially in use. Some folk see cars in the hard shoulder when it's meant to be used and don't have the brains to realise that on another day, when the speed limit signs are not showing, don't use that lane!
That's a problem they really need to sort out before rolling out more "managed motorways". Simply using the red X at all times when the lane isn't in use would help.
Hmmm ...
If the Government cups its hands to its ears and strains hard enough, it MIGHT just catch us motorists expressing gratitude ... Considering the decades that successive Governments have been screwing motorists in taxes, they will forgive us for not kissing the rings on their fingers ...