The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK (CILT), welcomes the Chancellor's announcement in the budget that there will be £100m for local road repairs and £285m for motorway improvements and expansion projects, such as allowing hard-shoulder running in busy times.
This follows a call from the Institute that the next government - of whatever colour - must not cut essential maintenance on our transport infrastructure.
Chief Executive Steve Agg says: 'Poor or zero maintenance, together with the predations of unpredictable summer and winter weather, has resulted in millions of cracks and potholes requiring substantial and urgent repair in order to prevent higher than necessary fuel consumption and vehicle wear, damage to vehicles and risks to safety.
The next Government must make sure that local government is adequately funded to maintain our highways networks: this will contribute towards Britain's economic and environmental objectives. Neglecting essential repairs now will store up problems and higher costs for the future.'
In addition the Institute welcomes the commitment to HS2 - the new high speed rail link between London and Birmingham - and notes the staggered rise in the previously announced increase in fuel duty.