US President John F Kennedy is reported to have said "it is not the wealth of a nation that builds roads, but the roads that build the wealth of a nation." Examples abound throughout history of civilisations which have relied on modern transport infrastructure for their trade links and economic growth. Today the argument that roads are the backbone of Europe's socio-economic model is backed by solid empirical evidence and numerous academic studies. Despite this, declining infrastructure investment observed in many Member States (relative to GDP growth) coupled with EU policies that overtly seek to curtail road transport growth spell an uncertain future for Europe's cohesion and competitiveness agenda. The publication of the 2nd edition of the "The Socio-Economic Benefits of Roads in Europe" seeks to set the record straight by providing stakeholders with factual information on roads and how road transport is intertwined with the daily lives of Europe's over 500 million citizens. This report will present how citizens, companies, regions and states all benefit from the continuous growth in road transport demand and how investing in road infrastructure benefits the economy as a whole. This report will further highlight how technological trends, combined with forward-looking policies, can contribute to achieving safe, efficient and affordable mobility for European citizens. As Europe's policy-makers embark upon the revision of the 2001 Transport Policy White Paper, they would be well inspired to recognise reality and work to find solutions for the problems of mass motoring instead of compelling citizens to use other, often less attractive, modes of transport. (Author/publisher)
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