Skip to main content

UK road sale idea

The UK’s new government is investigating its transportation options with regards to raising capital to help offset its budget deficit. One of the plans being put forward is the potential sale of trunk roads and highways to the private sector. Under the proposed scheme drivers would be able to use existing roads without tolls. However, the private sector owners would then charge the UK government a sum based on traffic volumes over a given period.
May 30, 2012 Read time: 1 min
The UK’s new government is investigating its transportation options with regards to raising capital to help offset its budget deficit. One of the plans being put forward is the potential sale of trunk roads and highways to the private sector. Under the proposed scheme drivers would be able to use existing roads without tolls. However, the private sector owners would then charge the UK government a sum based on traffic volumes over a given period.

Related Content

  • IRF and REAAA showcase solutions to global road and transport needs
    June 8, 2017
    Free-flow Electronic Toll Services have emerged as a reliable, safe and environmentally sustainable way of collecting road user charges, presenting key benefits over stop-and-go methods. ETS are now a mature market with key lessons learned from successfully addressing operational, technological, financial and regulatory principles. Having high-quality road infrastructure is important to boost country and transport sector competitiveness. Road infrastructure is always in need of funding aimed to build new in
  • Merseylink wins US$3.12bn Mersey Gateway Project contract
    June 20, 2013
    Merseylink was today announced as the preferred bidder for the US$3.12 billion (£2bn) Mersey Gateway Project in North West England. Making the announcement together in the observatory in the Catalyst Museum in Widnes overlooking the River Mersey, Halton Borough Council and Merseylink also confirmed they have jointly identified savings amounting to “tens of millions of pounds” on the projected public sector contribution to the project budget.
  • Hong Kong tolling proposal
    November 20, 2018
    A new proposal to introduce road user charging for Hong Kong has been put forward in a bid to cut congestion. The Hong Kong Policy Research Institute (HKPRI) has suggested that open road tolling would help improve journey times for drivers, while delivering a smart city solution to Hong Kong’s chronic congestion. Cashless tolling technology has been suggested as helping deliver the best option, by eliminating the need for drivers to stop and make payments, optimising smart mobility.
  • Efficient road traffic management for large-scale sporting events
    October 25, 2022
    Modern road networks require a significant amount of infrastructure to function, from the roads themselves to signage, as well as other assets that are needed to keep things running. Throw in the digitisation of road networks and infrastructure requirements will significantly increase, especially when it comes to the introduction of connected (“internet-of-things”) devices and an array of sensor systems required for road monitoring.