BPA calls for port focus in road plans

News-in-print 1 Jun 2017 by WCN Editorial

For the first time ever, the British government is to hypothecate road vehicle tax (VED) to a highways improvement budget from 2020-21, as part of a £1B/ year plan for local councils to improve roads and cut road congestion. VED is currently worth £5.8B/year, forecast to rise to £6.8B/year by 2020-21 based on forecast new vehicle registrations. The government plans to allocate £1B/year of VED to “secondary” A-roads outside the strategic motorway and major Aroad network, and this idea is of direc

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Commenting on the plan, Richard Ballantyne, CEO of the British Ports Association (BPA), called for ports to be prioritised in regional and national projects.

The focus on easing congestion is very welcome, argues the BPA, but this must ensure freight is able to compete and flourish across the UK. “The Strategy mentions the UK’s key national corridors and investments must be inclusive of freight concerns,” said Ballantyne. “Focus needs to be on delivery.”

The government’s current Port Connectivity Study in England is being led by an independent chairman, Sir John Randall. “This is a welcome initiative,” said Ballantyne. “We hope it will help to ensure that ports are on the radar and feature in future national transport strategies. Moving forward, we would like to see local authorities formally recognising this and other freight priorities in their own strategies.”

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This complete item is approximately 300 words in length, and appeared in the June 2017 issue of WorldCargo News, on page 10. To access this issue download the PDF here.