Motorways and trunk roads carry about a third of Britain’s road traffic and most are now seriously congested. Traffic is so heavy on some motorways, especially in peak periods, that it frequently comes to a virtual standstill. Since 1995 the number of vehicles has grown by 14 per cent — and traffic generally is moving at about 4mph more slowly. The frustration of the public is obvious. The cost of this wasted time to industry and commerce is estimated by the Highways Agency (HA), responsible for the trunk network, at £3 billion a year, and the medical costs of driver and passenger stress are incalculable.

Something has to be done if the road system is not to collapse under the weight of traffic. The Government is proposing various measures that include building more roads, widening others and charging drivers to use motorways. All three are sensible but expensive and will take time to implement. The Highways Agency, therefore, has begun a programme to bring quick relief with small changes to layouts, slips roads, roundabouts and traffic speed. This costs more than £200 million a year — yet has so far done little to achieving the Government’s stated objective of stabilising congestion at 2000 levels by 2010.

A report by the National Audit Office now accuses the Highways Agency of being slow, unimaginative and avoiding risk in not looking at other ways to speed up traffic, especially schemes working well on the Continent. In Germany and the Netherlands, for example, much more use is made of the hard shoulder as an emergency relief. The authorities there specifically addressed safety concerns by reducing speeds, providing frequent refuge areas for emergency use and scanning hard shoulders with CCTV to detect any broken-down vehicles before opening them. Why has this not been tried more often here?

The report identifies other measures used overseas to improve traffic conditions: variable speed limits to stop bunching; tidal flows to reverse traffic in one or more lane of a motorway during rush hour; high-occupancy lanes for buses and heavy goods vehicles or cars with more than one passenger; moveable lights to reduce lane widths and thus squeeze in more cars; and traffic lights on slip roads to limit the number of vehicles entering a motorway. None of this is expensive; all could make an immediate difference. Some of these proposals are being adopted — too slowly. The HA is too cautious, bureaucratic and insistent on extensive trials before introducing new schemes.

As the report remarks drily, most of the trials that the HA has set up are poorly run and have led to inconclusive results. “It needs to adopt a more expansive approach to risk management.” Its record in installing up-to-date technology is also appalling: old technology and often outdated message signs do not help motorists to avoid delays or manage peak flows.

The HA appears to be a slow driver in the fast lane. It should either accelerate change or be prepared to get out of the way.