81% of fleet drivers affected by increasing motorway congestion
The majority (81%) of company car drivers think that motorway journey times are becoming less predictable due to roadworks and congestion, according to the results of a new survey carried out by RAC Business.
The survey found that UK businesses are being affected every day by increasing congestion and delays.
Nearly half (46%) of those interviewed as part of the RAC’s Report on Motoring 2016 stated that traffic congestion and slower journey times are some of the biggest motoring challenges they face.
For 15% it is their top concern, more so than the cost of fuel, the environmental impact of motoring or the availability of parking.
Nearly three quarters (71%) think much tougher steps should be taken to reduce traffic congestion and a half (53%) would be willing to pay more motoring tax if the additional revenue was ring-fenced to improve roads. This is a significant jump from last year’s figure of 42%.
When asked about how transport funding should be prioritised, 24% cited maintenance of local roads as the top priority, whilst 18% believed targeted improvements on motorways (such as reducing known bottlenecks) should be the top priority for government investment. The top investment priority for 12% was the general maintenance of motorways and other major roads.
“While the last five years have seen the biggest investment programme on the strategic road network for almost a generation, it is clear that we still have a long way to go,” commented Jenny Powley, corporate business sales director at RAC Business.
“UK businesses are being affected every day by congestion and delays. We would urge the Chancellor, Phillip Hammond, to listen to the voice of the business community which is crying out for more money to be invested in Britain’s motorways and trunk roads.
“Encouragingly, the Chancellor hinted that he might address road investment in his upcoming Autumn Statement. He recently spoke of investing in “genuinely productivity-enhancing infrastructure” and one thing is for sure, our roads fit this criteria,” she added.
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Katie Beck
Katie joined Fleet World in 2012 as an editorial intern, following the completion of an English and American Literature BA from the University of East Anglia. She accepted a full-time position as an editorial assistant at the end of the internship period, and was promoted to the role of features editor in 2014. She works across the magazine and website portfolio, and administrates the social media channels.
