Skip to main content

M6 should be priority for Government investment, drivers tell FTA

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has been looking at stretches of the UK’s strategic road network that would most benefit from Government investment following the Chancellor’s commitment in his Autumn Statement to fund improvements to congestion hot spots. Philip Hammond said the Government would spend IS$1.6 billion (£1.3 billion) on improving England’s roads, including US$222 million (£220 million) on tackling congestion at pinch points and US$33 million (£27 million) on an expressway connecting Ox
December 20, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The 6983 Freight Transport Association (FTA) has been looking at stretches of the UK’s strategic road network that would most benefit from Government investment following the Chancellor’s commitment in his Autumn Statement to fund improvements to congestion hot spots.
 
Philip Hammond said the Government would spend IS$1.6 billion (£1.3 billion) on improving England’s roads, including US$222 million (£220 million) on tackling congestion at pinch points and US$33 million (£27 million) on an expressway connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge.
 
Road delays are a constant issue for FTA members who move goods throughout the UK. It costs around £1 a minute to run a 44-tonne truck so any hold-ups have a huge financial impact on operations.
 
FTA identified the M60 north of Manchester, the M25 to the west of London and the M6 north of Birmingham as three of the most highly congested roads and ran a Twitter poll asking drivers which they thought needed most attention. The M6 narrowly came out on top with 39% of the vote, with the M25 on 37 per cent and the M60 on 24 per cent.
 
Malcolm Bingham, FTA’s head of Road Network Management Policy, said: “Every motorist will have view on where the worst spots are on our strategic network and these figures for our poll show that there is a split opinion. It is therefore vital that we get the next programme of roads spending to address the concerns on congestion.”

Related Content

  • February 5, 2024
    Paris votes to hike SUV parking charges
    Fees to park larger vehicles on French capital's streets will treble following referendum
  • March 17, 2017
    Major Midlands junction improvement open
    Highways England’s US$236 million (£191 million) scheme to improve journeys for drivers using a major interchange on the M1 in the Midlands has been officially opened. The major upgrade to improve the flow of traffic at junction 19, where the M1, M6 and A14 meet, is intended to the journeys made by more than 150,000 vehicles through the area every day. The new east-west link between the villages of Catthorpe and Swinford now runs beneath the M1-M6 link, and the M6, and connects the villages with the A
  • April 22, 2014
    Growth of ITS market 2013 to 2019
    According to the latest report from Transparency Market Research, the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) market is expected to reach a value of US$30.2 billion by 2019, at a CAGR of 11.1 per cent from 2013 to 2019. The demand of ITS systems is rising globally due to increased congestion in metropolitan areas. Development and deployment of intelligent transportation system not only reduces traffic, but also reduces number of accidents and improves quality of life by controlling vehicle emission leve
  • February 3, 2015
    US FY 2016 budget invests heavily in ITS, infrastructure
    Announcing President Obama’s US$94.7 billion Fiscal Year 2016 budget for the US Department of Transportation, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said, “Our budget proposal lays the foundation for a future where our transportation infrastructure meets the demands of a growing population and an economy that depends on the free flow of freight,” said Secretary Foxx. “This Administration is looking towards the horizon – the future – but to do this we need Congress’ partnership to pass a long-term reauthorisa