r32

Labour, hitting the motorist again, what happens to all the money we contribute ?


THE Quarry Products Association has attacked the Government over declining investment in the UK road network, calling the situation a completely unsustainable long-term approach to the country’s transport infrastructure.

The Association has this week released data highlighting the extent to which the Government has reduced investment in the maintenance and improvement of the road network. It says asphalt sales fell by another 5% in the first quarter of 2007, which was preceded by an 8% decline in sales volumes in 2006.

The QPA’s director general, Simon van der Byl, said: ‘The continuing decline in asphalt sales is hard evidence of declining investment in our road networks. Since 2000 there has been the 10-year transport plan and numerous official statements about the need to invest in road and transport networks, but in reality there had been a complete failure in policy delivery.’

Mr van der Byl said the national roads programme was progressing at a ‘snail’s pace’, and that local authorities were being denied the resources to properly maintain local roads. He added that the recent Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey had identified a £1 billion shortfall in funds for local highway maintenance work in England and Wales.

‘The general lack of investment suggests that road spending may be being held back deliberately in anticipation of the outcome of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review. This is a completely unsustainable long-term approach to our transport infrastructure,’ argued Mr van der Byl.

CrisPDuk

According to the government's own figures, investment in the road network is equal to less than 20% of monies received in Road Fund Duty

It would be interesting to know what happens to the other 80% of that, let alone all the money they get from Fuel Duty

I know it ain't spent on properly equipping the armed forces

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

You have to ask?

Its ploughed into welfare and the failing and pointless National Health Service.

stilover

And giving free houses and money away to imigrants.

Also allowing working imigrants to claim benifits for their families back in the own country

That's why I'm voting Tory in todays local elections.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

My Parents live in Mirfield which is between Huddersfield and Dewsbury. The roads there are the worst I've ever seen. They are in such a state that you are avoiding potholes and random lumps of tarmac all the time.

SJ_Skyline

You need a 4x4 these days just to get around. On-road is the new off-road!

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

Welfare is welfare in my mind. I don't want to lay the blame at the door of the Boarder & Immigration Agency who I know from almost daily conversations are as "slightly annoyed" about the whole situation as everyone else (oh.. and who's budget is also being slashed by the way)

warrenm2

And which policy exactly says they are going to fix that? The "sharing the proceeds of growth" one? Or the, the........ hang on, they havent got any other policies! Apart from staying in the EU.

The current Tories are just Blue Labour, youre in for a big disappointment mate!

stilover

They're all as bad as each other, I know that. However the Tories have been saying for years that they'd cap the amount of immigrants coming to our shores. At least that's a start (if they can actually do it)

I just can't vote that shower of Sh1te we currently have in again. The next general election can't come soon enough for me.

Leslie

They also have to find the nearly £1/4 million paid annually to MP's only £60K of which is taxed!

Les