Jam leagues' will explain delays
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• Hauliers will be given additional ammunition to prove their costly delays to customers when local authorities produce league tables of the most congested roads. Announcing his intention to develop new benchmarks and targets for congestion for different areas and roads.
Transport Minister Lord Macdonald said he wants road users to be able to cross-check the progress that their local authorities are making against the benchmarks.
Current figures already indicate congestion—
for example, average vehicle speeds in some cities—but the benchmarks and league tables will draw together information, highlighting the issue and allowing comparison between around 20 of the most buitt up areas in the country,
In the report, Tackling Congestion and Pollution, the government predicts that traffic pollution can be cut by more than 50% over the next decade, thanks to cleaner engines and fuels. The report also argues that it should be possible to cut congestion in the next 10 years through traf
tic management, despite rising national traffic levels.
Government targets for air quality, greenhouse gases, health and road safety are in place or about to be published.
The British Roads Federation welcomes the report, but BRF director Richard Diment warns: "If the government is serious about controlling congestion despite the forecast growth in traffic it must bring forward bypasses, motorway widening schemes and proposals to deal with congestion hotspots."