Road tolls 'essential' to avoid gridlock

The UK's road network requires a comprehensive overhaul if gridlock is to be avoided, a major business organisation warned today.

The Confederation of British Industry, a lobbyist that represents 80 per cent of the FTSE, claims that the highway network requires the same kind of ambitious vision that the three political parties have thus far saved for high speed rail.

A new report published by the CBI claims that congestion damages the UK's economy to the tune of £8bn a year, and suggested that it was critical investment in the highway network be maintained at a pre recession level – even if this means introducing controversial road tolling schemes.