EEF welcomes Road Funding Strategy

EEF welcomes Road Funding Strategy

Commenting on the Road Funding Strategy, EEF the manufacturers’ organisation North West Region Director, David Ost, said: “The Transport Secretary’s announcement must mark the end of the stop-start cycle of investment in our road network.

"Too many previous road improvement schemes announced by Ministers have been delayed or cancelled by successors as the funding wasn’t backed by legislation.

“In the long term, we cannot rely on over-stretched public finances to fund investment in our road network. Every option must be on the table, including how the new Highways Agency is funded and whether road user charging will play a role.

"We also need to see better co-ordination between the Highways Agency, Government and local authorities and faster progress is clearing the backlog of poorly maintained roads.”

EEF published a major Transport Survey and Strategy in April, amongst the key findings were:

• Four fifths of manufacturers identify the road network as critical to their business 
• Half of manufacturers say the state of the UK’s roads significantly increases their operating costs