Congestion carries a huge economic cost to the UK- between £10 billion and £20 billion a year. Costs range from an estimated £1.2bn in Central London to £70million in Cambridgeshire

Congestion increased between 1999 and 2006 in four out of the 6 major English urban areas outside London. The ‘per kilometre’ use of Britain’s roads is double the European average.

A national road pricing scheme would yield around £20 billion a year after administration costs. This would amount to almost double the amount of money currently invested in transport infrastructure.

Public transport is a poor relation in the major city-regions outside London.  Bus trips per person have declined by over 25% in Tyne and Wear and almost 20% in Merseyside over the ten years to 2008, while they’ve risen by over 50% in London.

Investment in urban transport networks delivers £3 of benefits for every £1 of public money invested. Small scale investments, such as improving a busy junction, can produce benefits in excess of £10 for every £1 spent – while integrated tickets and information integration also deliver benefits of over five times the cost.