Roads to benefit from 1 billion

Motorists are to benefit from a 1 billion injection of investment into Britain's transport network.

The Government has confirmed the spending will form part of its plans to kick-start the failing economy. While the majority of the money will be spent on improving rail and other public transport links, some of the cash will also be invested in improving UK roads.

Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said: 'Congestion, whether it is on our roads or railways, is not just a nuisance to travellers, it is also a tax on the productivity of our businesses, and if left unchecked could become a brake on growth.

'That is why I am accelerating plans to make better use of Britains motorways and why I am also earmarking a further 300 million to remove bottlenecks and increase capacity on road links to key airports and ports.'

Putting the investment into perspective, however, figures from the The Local Government Association claim it would cost an estimated 400 million to achieve the Government's own targets for repairing potholes by 2010.