Good roads are good for the economy

The 2011 Budget saw a significant commitment to road repairs, and cuts in fuel duties and corporation tax. It also focused on moving Britain towards a low-carbon future, with large investments in the Green Investment Bank announced.

The Mineral Products Association (MPA) Chief Executive Nigel Jackson commented in a recent press release, "lower short term economic growth and the continuing poor state of public finances are a sobering context for the Budget. Taking these realities into account we are pleased with a number of the specific measures, including those which responded to our requests to Government such as the postponement of the aggregates levy increase and the additional £100 million for road repairs, the increase in the Climate Change Agreement discount and, more generally, the reductions in fuel duties and corporation tax.”

The MPA, although supportive of the government’s focus on infrastructure development and the promise of the Green Investment Bank, highlighted concerns over the higher carbon and energy costs for industry, the competition from international energy intensive industries, and queried the scope and content of the National Planning Policy Framework.

The press release concluded by underlying the fragility and structural problems of the country’s transport infrastructure. Three times in the past 15 months, emergency funding for road repairs has been needed, revealing the literal cracks in the system.

“It is illogical to focus on future investment in major projects without an associated focus on repairing our existing public infrastructure. Good roads are good for the economy and good for carbon reduction,” Jackson added.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/28032011/good_roads_are_good_for_the_economy/