The Transport Committee has criticised successive governments for failing come up with long-term plans for bridge and tunnel projects, claiming that it has inhibited economic growth.
The cross-party group of MPs also said a lack of political leadership meant that the Dartford Crossing, linking the M25 across the Thames, was the “least reliable section” of the strategic road network.
Its report called for a new crossing to ease congestion and reduce the cost congestion was placing on the economy, which it estimated to be £15m a year.
As part of its inquiry into strategic river crossings in the UK the committee also accused the government of using a methodology that “consistently underestimate the usage of new crossings” – meaning that bridges and tunnels soon became inadequate for the volume of traffic.
Louise Ellman MP, chair of the committee, said: “Important infrastructure projects, such as the Mersey Gateway Bridge, have the potential to generate economic growth by linking workers to jobs and consumers to retailers. We have recommended ways for the government and transport planners to maximise those benefits to local communities.”
Malcolm Bingham, head of road network policy at the FTA, backed the committee’s findings: “All too often we seek to just unblock the congestion we currently have rather than considering the long-term needs of the country. We fail to plan adequately for future development and growth and this lack of action is constraining the competitiveness of the UK.”
In regards to the Thames crossing, Bingham said the FTA has long supported TfL's plans for the development of new river crossings in east London, and urged that even a change of mayor next year should not stall plans.
Tolling on all river crossings was also raised as part of the inquiry, with the committee recommending that ‘free-flow technology’ – such as the camera system recently implemented on the Dartford Crossing – being the norm.
It said that such an approach would benefit the road haulage sector the most, allowing it to remain competitive with its European counterparts.
