News Articles

Planning changes could lead to motorway gridlock

 Government proposals to relax planning laws to encourage the building of more business parks near motorway junctions could result in more frequent bank holiday style traffic jams according to, the Campaign for Better Transport. Similar concerns have also been raised by other motoring organisations.

The Government’s plans were set out in the draft National Planning Policy Framework which proposed scrapping the previous policy of building offices in the centre of towns instead on the outskirts. The Government hopes that improved access to motorways will assist growth for business and reduce congestion in the town centres.

The Campaign for Better Transport, estimate that each new business park will create 8,000 additional car journeys a day. They claim that the congestion will be caused by the high volume of cars entering the motorway at the same point and at the same time causing the rest of the traffic to move across to the middle and outside lanes.

“Far from helping economic growth, our research shows that the draft planning framework could actually end up damaging the economy through increased congestion as new office developments move out of town centres and spring up next to motorways and other big roads,” said Stephen Joseph, the Campaign’s chief executive.

These views were echoed by other motoring organizations. Stephen Glaister the director of the RAC Foundation said “This sounds about right,” he said. “We already have a major problem with junction capacity on our motorways. 

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government defended the proposals and said "The bizarre, exaggerated hypothesis put forward by this group completely overlooks the reality of the reforms being proposed. The National Planning Policy Framework maintains strict protections and rules and makes clear that only sustainable development will be allowed."

To contact our specialist Land Development team please either give us a call on 01908 660966 or fill out our online contact form. Our dedicated team are always on hand to assist.

• < < Go back to the previous page
• News Homepage