HC Deb 03 February 1993 vol 218 cc219-20W
Mr. Adley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates his Department has made as to the total cost to industry of(a) road congestion and (b) road accidents.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

(a) The Department does not make an estimate of the total cost of road congestion as it does not believe there is a reliable method of making such an estimate. However, for each road scheme the contribution which it makes to reducing congestion is a central part of the assessment. This is in line with the objective of the roads programme to assist in economic development through the reduction of transport costs.

(b) The best available estimate of the loss of productive capacity in the economy as a whole from road accidents is £1.8 billion per annum. This applies to all sectors, not industry alone as usually defined.