Roads

New roads have increased motor traffic levels. Photo: © CPRE

While the direct damage to the countryside caused by carving carriageways through it is clear, the indirect damage is not as it tends to happen incrementally.  Individual road schemes over time generate more traffic, increasing air and noise pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, while leading to closure of local shops and services and increased danger on roads for people who want to walk or cycle.

In July 2008 the Government published Roads - Delivering Choice and Reliability promising up to £6 billion to expand capacity on national strategic roads in England. This funding is in addition to funding given to the regions through the ‘Regional Funding Advice’ rounds, while there are also roads being funded by local authorities and private developers.

Buried deep in the document was the fact where capacity is expanded on congested roads, this causes motor traffic on them to increase by as much as 8-10% per year.  The question is no longer whether roads are effective in reducing congestion, it is how much they are likely to make it worse.

Britain isn't big enough for us to be pouring more and more concrete over its green and pleasant land.
Alistair Darling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, June 2002

We cannot simply build our way out of the problems we face. It would be environmentally irresponsible – and would not work.
Tony Blair MP, Prime Minister, July 2004