Government should develop a new ‘mobility investment strategy’ aimed at reducing demand for car-based transport, a new report from environmental group the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) urges.

 

The report ‘The end of the road?’ calls for road capacity upgrades to become the “option of last resort” when planning transport infrastructure. Instead it suggests measures to minimise demand for travel, widen transport choices and improve network efficiency.

 

The study is based on analysis of over 80 completed strategic road projects and also claims that, contrary to popular belief, there is weak evidence that road building produces economic benefits.

 

It adds that 80% of projects built damaged the surrounding environment and claims that new road schemes generated traffic increases of 47% on average – much higher than long term background trends.

 

“We repeatedly see the cycle of more roads generating more traffic and congestion which leads to demands for more roads; in other words, building roads leads to building more roads,” the report says.

 

To combat this the CPRE suggests that Government should drop plans to increase capacity on England’s motorways and major A roads to focus instead on maintenance and developing a new ‘mobility investment strategy’.

 

“The Government must invest in a forward looking mobility strategy that puts quality of life ahead of the car,” said CPRE’s head of infrastructure and legal Ralph Smyth. “It should reopen old rail lines, offer people more travel options in town and countryside, and harness new technology to make more efficient use of road space.”

 

He added: “It should promote new housing on brownfield sites closer to jobs and services, rather than unleash car-dependent sprawl on green fields.” The group also suggests that measures like road pricing and car sharing should be considered ahead of capacity upgrades.

 

Industry commentators have reacted with caution to the CPRE’s recommendations.

 

The Confederation of British Industry’s head of infrastructure Michelle Hubert said: “Having the right infrastructure in place is absolutely crucial for businesses connecting people to jobs and helping to boost productivity. It’s important that we focus on improving both our road capacity and how we use our road networks.”

 

But she added: “Looking ahead to the Government’s second Road Investment Strategy, businesses want to see the linking up of the road network to other forms of transport prioritised; in order to maximise value, future infrastructure projects can no longer be considered in isolation.”

 

Civil Engineering Contractors Association chief executive Alasdair Reisner said: “We should not be deaf to concerns of those who oppose road building, as their input helps to ensure that we maintain focus on ensuring we deliver the right outcomes for everyone.

 

“But we must also recognise that Highways England’s own detailed post project research, published just last year, shows that 93% of all scheme objectives were delivered, showing that investment in the strategic road network is working.”  

 

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Good transport is key to keeping communities moving and connecting people to homes, businesses and jobs. We are investing in our roads to cut congestion and make journeys quicker, safer and more reliable.

 

“We are also making record investments in modernising rail to provide the faster, more comfortable and less crowded trains that passengers have told us they want, as well as trebling spending on cycling and walking, to reduce demand on our roads and to improve air quality.”

 

(Photo: Highways England)