WIREDGOV

Cllr Martin Tett, Local Government Association Transport spokesman, responded to the RAC Report on Motoring which reveals a rise in complaints about congestion on major roads

“This survey highlights the congestion challenge we face as a nation. Congestion can have a significant impact on our towns, cities and communities, and act as a drag on local growth. Worse still, it can lead to toxic air and reduced quality of life.

“The average motorist is spending a working week every year sat in traffic on major roads, and losing almost a £1,000 in the process. With eight-and-a-half million more vehicles on our roads since 2000, it’s no wonder it would now take £12 billion and a decade to clear the nation’s road repair backlog.

“Councils are working hard to combat traffic and congestion but need to be able to do more to tackle this growing problem. Long-term, consistent funding is needed for them to invest in local roads and introduce attractive alternatives to car journeys, such as through public transport, walking and cycling.”

View report here

Notes to editors

1. LGA report: A country in a jam: tackling congestion in our towns and cities (August 2017)
2. There are now 151 vehicles per mile on our roads compared to just 119 vehicles per mile in 2000, ratcheting up the pressure on local roads.
3. The average travel speed on local ‘A’ roads is just 25 miles per hour, a 1 per cent decrease from a year ago.
4. Councils fill a pothole every 19 seconds and are dealing with a £12 billion backlog of road repairs that would take a decade to clear.