While road traffic - passenger and freight - has surged over the past three decades, the capacity of the network has scarcely increased at all and the effects are being felt in increasing, and increasingly erratic, journey times in all parts of the country.

Existing roads are also crumbling, says BIFA, with emergency repair work also contributing to slower journeys, especially at night when much of the country's freight is on the move.

"Congestion needs to be planned out of all modes of UK transport," says BIFA Director General Robert Keen. "While Governments of all hues have made promises in the past, very few significant schemes have been delivered."

Statisticians estimate that the UK's population will increase to 72 million people by 2050, "putting an unprecedented strain on the country's logistics network," says Keen.

The freight industry is often overlooked by politicians, he continues, despite the fact that 2.2 million people in the UK - one in 12 of the workforce - are employed in the sector, according to Government figures.

The specific part of the supply chain for which BIFA's members are responsible is even less appreciated, says Keen. "The government needs to pay more attention to the value of international freight and logistics to the UK and urgently address issues that impact on the global supply chain, including Customs, EU legislation, security and international trade treaties.”

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