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Motoring news

Roads 'better investment' than railways, charity says

22/06/2009

The Government is wrongly investing more money in railways than roads, the RAC Foundation has claimed.

And the motoring charity added that despite calls by rail operators for more rail funding, road improvements achieve better returns.

The foundation said that 92% of all passenger travel in Great Britain is by road, but that more than £5 billion of public money was invested in railways in 2006/07, compared to the £4.8bn spent on roads. It believes that this split is set to become even more exaggerated over the next five years, with £15 billion of public money earmarked for rail improvements, compared to £6 billion for roads.

The charity argued that focusing on roads would bring higher returns. It referenced the 2006 Government-commissioned Eddington Transport Study, which concluded that Highways Agency spending on roads had a benefit/cost ratio of 4.66, compared to 2.83 for heavy rail and 2.14 for light rail investments.

The foundation added that while the Department for Transport (DfT) is required to prioritise spending in order to get the highest rate of return, ministers are ignoring this even after environmental, economic and safety benefits are taken into account.

The foundation's director, Professor Stephen Glaister, said: "The RAC Foundation is not against rail travel, yet the figures are clear. Most people use the roads to get about and road schemes tend to offer the best value for money.

"The road network is the true provider of public transport."

A DfT spokesperson told BBC News: "The investment the Government has made to date in rail is reflected by increased passenger volumes of 40% over the last decade.

"But we also recognise the importance of roads and are committed to tackling congestion and providing a safe, reliable and sustainable road network for the 21st Century."