Privatise our road network? Bloody Hell! That’s going to be most people’s reaction to recent news that ministers are thinking about selling off motorways and trunk roads to private contractors. The idea is similar to the private finance schemes used to build hospitals, schools and attempts to improve the rail network. Contractors would pay the government a large lump of cash and then the government pays the contractors to maintain the roads - a kind of lease back deal. But instead of being horrified that we’re selling off the family silver, hold on a minute.
As long as motorists aren’t charged to use roads that have already been built the deal would give us better maintenance, more investment, and private sector expertise. And that’s the really important bit, because government agencies aren’t good at stuff. Private companies are. The idea of having fresh ideas, fresh money and fresh strategies applied to our worn-smooth road network is not without promise. And frankly, privatisation has got to be a whole lot better than the system we’ve got now. Which, incidentally, will only get worse and worse.
So before we shoot this scheme down in flames, let’s hear the details. As long as the motorist and the UK economy benefits, we’re not made to pay any more and the highest private sector standards are applied to maintenance and upkeep, we could be looking at a situation of reduced road works, less congestion and smoother tarmac. Who knows, the system might be financially viable enough to create enough profit to invest in some new roads. Sounds good to me.
More...Road File 2010
For current information on UK roads, download the 2010 edition of the Road File.
Road matters
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Director's Soapbox
However, with petrol prices at an all-time high - despite the cost of crude being lower than than the last peak (when oil was trading at $147 per barrel) - motorists will not be feeling much in the way of gratitude. UK fuel taxes are back at the top in EU and World terms. The road network is clogged and pot-holed roads are causing expensive repair bills. What a rip-off! What is the solution? If firms are to trade us back to solvency and salvage the pound so it can buy more dollars to fund crude oil purchases, a decent road network is the pre-requisite for the generation and distribution of wealth. |
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The budget announcement that fuel duty would only be increased by 1p per litre (plus VAT of course, and only for a few months before the next rise kicks in), implied that road users should somehow be grateful for this moderation.Hot topics
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RUA Director Tim Green’s latest sound-off, plus a selection of recent news and comment, and the current results of our on-line poll. If there is a burning issue you think we should be highlighting, please let us know by using the email form below {loadposition contact} |
Fact Finder
The UK has nearly 8,000 cars per motorway kilometre
that's more than double the EU average.