Press Release

Disbelief as MPs call for new £30 billion road building plan

30 March 2010

Rural campaigners were left shocked and angry today (Tuesday) after the publication of a new report from the Transport Select Committee, which calls for 900 miles of new dual carriageway as well as a new motorway building and widening programme.It is estimated this would cost at least £30 billion, the same as building a new High Speed Rail network.

Ralph Smyth, senior transport campaigner for CPRE, says:

"Besides the devastating environmental impact, this call for the biggest road building programme in a generation makes no sense at a time when there is a massive maintenance backlog on existing roads. The committee's attempt to make their road plans appear green by supporting a few sustainable travel initiatives is like an elephant trying to hide behind a blade of grass. These misguided proposals would be as unacceptable for the countryside as they would be unaffordable for the taxpayer."

"The committee seem to have closed their eyes both to the experience of successive governments and the evidence presented to their inquiry by CPRE and others. Years of road building show you simply cannot build your way out of road congestion. The latest figures show road building making traffic grow by up to 10% per year, meaning new lanes can fill up within five years."

Even Professor Glaister of the RAC Foundation accepted that "When you put the new bit of road in you reduce the cost of getting from A to B for the people who use the road, so more people do it".

Ralph Smyth, concluded:

"Last week the government had its aviation policy shot down in flames because it failed to take account of new climate change laws. Yet it was the same policy that this committee described in December as 'sound'. In light of this recent misjudgement, it is perhaps not surprising the Transport Select Committee has got it so wrong again."