Think-tank calls for road network share giveaway

Leading UK think-tank, The Social Market Foundation (SMF), argues in a new report, Roads to Recovery, that each citizen should be given a free, tradable share in the road network worth over £1,500 (€1,700); road user charges should be introduced, and road tax abolished. The SMF claims the UK’s “creaking transport infrastructure” makes economic recovery harder, with congestion predicted to cost businesses and households an extra £22 billion a year by 2025.
July 3, 2012 Read time: 1 min
Leading UK think-tank, The 6078 Social Market Foundation (SMF), argues in a new report, Roads to Recovery, that each citizen should be given a free, tradable share in the road network worth over £1,500 (€1,700); road user charges should be introduced, and road tax abolished. The SMF claims the UK’s “creaking transport infrastructure” makes economic recovery harder, with congestion predicted to cost businesses and households an extra £22 billion a year by 2025.

“Road user charging is the policy solution but is understandably unpopular with voters because politicians see it as a way to raise more tax,” says the report. The SMF says its plans would see any profits from
road charging, or the sale of road shares, going to shareholders (the people) rather than into Treasury coffers.

Ian Mulheirn, co-author of the report and director of the SMF, said: “Road charging means that people pay for what they use, including foreign hauliers who currently pay nothing at all.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • European Transport Safety Commission makes call for traffic safety boost
    July 10, 2015
    In 2013, 7,600 people died in road traffic while cycling or walking in European Union (EU) countries – the equivalent of a commercial airliner full of passengers being lost every week Because of this risk of death, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) wants vehicle manufacturers and local authorities to pay special attention to improving safety for cyclists, walkers and pedestrians. In a new report, the ETSC said the numbers being killed are falling more slowly than those for vehicle occupants. Over
    Read More
  • Debating infrastructure funding solutions
    March 21, 2012
    With funding of road, bridge, tunnel and highway infrastructure a topic of debate in many developed and developing nations at present, different solutions are in the frame for discussion. Funding highway construction and maintenance through taxation is falling out of favour in many countries, simply because the costs of meeting transport infrastructure needs are so vast.
    Read More
  • Modern road system is 'a must'
    August 2, 2012
    Australia's GDP could see a major increase if traffic bottlenecks in big cities were to be removed, and the government is addressing this as a matter of urgency A modern road system is a must in Australia where it is estimated that the removal of traffic bottlenecks could potentially raise the country's GDP by 0.8%. According to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA), which made the prediction, infrastructure bottlenecks (particularly in cities, which account for over 70% of the country'
    Read More
  • Europe’s COVID escape route
    April 2, 2021
    The European Union’s COVID recovery budget and its NextGenerationEU programme are major opportunities for national, regional and local road authorities, says Jose Diez*.
    Read More

Highlighted Content