The CBI today (Friday) welcomed Sir Rod Eddington's Transport Study. Deputy Director-General John Cridland said:
"Improving the UK's domestic and international transport network is a vital economic imperative, as Sir Rod recognises in his report. At least £300 billion of projects should be started over the next decade which would generate savings and returns worth many times as much.
“Sir Rod's support for a national road pricing scheme to cut congestion and its potential benefits, and his route map to implementing a system in ten years, is absolutely right. There is a lot of work to do, though, to ensure the design of any scheme is right and that any revenue raised benefits road users -by funding an integrated programme of improvements in our transport system, for example.
"We're pleased the report also recognises the problems created by an overly-bureaucratic and unwieldy planning system. Sir Rod has set out a number of interesting ideas to improve it and help deliver the major infrastructure investment required to support future economic growth."
Mr Cridland added: "The development of the transport system will not only play an important role in future economic growth in the UK but also in how the country tackles environmental issues. The CBI will now look for firm policies and commitment to developing and implementing Sir Rod's proposals in the Government's forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review."