The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has identified a series of roads that it says are crucial in maintaining the UK’s economic recovery and ensuring future international competitiveness.

Roads that are in the greatest need of investment, according to the FTA, are:
• London to Kent Ports Corridor (M20)
• South Coast Ports to the Midlands (A34, M40)
• London Orbital Corridor (M25)
• London to the West Midlands, North West and Scotland Corridor (M1, M6)
• Trans-Pennine (M62, M180)
• Haven Ports to Midlands (A14)

Theo de Pencier, FTA’s chief executive, said: 'FTA has already made it very clear that cutting capital spending on infrastructure would be a huge mistake, especially for an economy still struggling to free itself from the grip of recession.

'As the fate of key road and rail projects hangs in the balance we must make it clear that any short-term savings made by curtailing investment have to be weighed against the longer term costs of increased congestion and unreliability in the supply chain – a matter made more pressing by expected rises in traffic levels.'