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| CBI calls for motorways sell-off and more toll routes | CBI calls for motorways sell-off and more toll routes |
| (8 days later) | |
| Britain's largest business lobby group has urged the government to privatise motorways and introduce more toll roads in the latest plea from the private sector for radical action on infrastructure. | Britain's largest business lobby group has urged the government to privatise motorways and introduce more toll roads in the latest plea from the private sector for radical action on infrastructure. |
| The Confederation of British Industry wants ministers to privatise the repair and maintenance of more than 1,000 miles of motorway in England, amid estimates of a £10bn funding shortfall at the Highways Agency. | The Confederation of British Industry wants ministers to privatise the repair and maintenance of more than 1,000 miles of motorway in England, amid estimates of a £10bn funding shortfall at the Highways Agency. |
| Jonathan Cridland, the director general of the CBI, said the nation's roads are so drastically underfunded that "levering private sector investment is the only way [to fund] a long-term future for roads". | Jonathan Cridland, the director general of the CBI, said the nation's roads are so drastically underfunded that "levering private sector investment is the only way [to fund] a long-term future for roads". |
| "The UK road network is the last piece of infrastructure fully funded by the government," he said. The CBI's intervention echoes calls from the RAC Foundation thinktank, which argues that a sell-off could pave the way for charging. | "The UK road network is the last piece of infrastructure fully funded by the government," he said. The CBI's intervention echoes calls from the RAC Foundation thinktank, which argues that a sell-off could pave the way for charging. |
| Under Cridland's plan the Highways Agency will be disbanded and control of England's motorways will be passed to a new regulator, which would "offer franchises to private providers to run parts of the road network". | Under Cridland's plan the Highways Agency will be disbanded and control of England's motorways will be passed to a new regulator, which would "offer franchises to private providers to run parts of the road network". |
| "[The plan envisages] taking the whole of the strategic road network and allocating it on a strategic basis," he said. "Over time private operators would be able to finance essential upgrades [as well as repairs and maintenance," | "[The plan envisages] taking the whole of the strategic road network and allocating it on a strategic basis," he said. "Over time private operators would be able to finance essential upgrades [as well as repairs and maintenance," |
| Cridland said the Highways Agency, which manages England's motorways for the Department for Transport, is "starved" of cash, and it was a "question of when [privatisation of the network] will happen, rather than if". | Cridland said the Highways Agency, which manages England's motorways for the Department for Transport, is "starved" of cash, and it was a "question of when [privatisation of the network] will happen, rather than if". |
| As well as privatising the maintenance of the motorways, Cridland advocated an increase in road tolling in order to pay for upgrades. "We need better roads," he said. "[And] we [the country] no longer have enough money to pay for them." | As well as privatising the maintenance of the motorways, Cridland advocated an increase in road tolling in order to pay for upgrades. "We need better roads," he said. "[And] we [the country] no longer have enough money to pay for them." |
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