Commenting on the Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review, the RAC Foundation welcomed the commitment to an increase in transport spending but stressed that a greater proportion must be spent on roads as 93% of passenger journeys and the majority of freight are carried by road.
The total estimate to be spent on transport in 2007-8 is £20bn and this is forecast to increase to £23.7bn by 2010-11. However, the motorist is already paying double this amount in motoring taxes each year (£45bn in 2006).
Commenting, Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation said: “Whilst any increase in transport spending is welcome, we need to see a greater proportion spent on roads. The vast majority of trips are by road and the motorist already pays more than twice as much in motoring taxes each year than the total transport budget. The motorist will view the recent fuel duty increase and proposals for yet more increases over the next two years as money for nothing unless the road infrastructure is improved.”