FTA says that the schemes proposed match the key trade routes identified by its members as requiring widening and additional freight capacity in order to reduce road and rail congestion and to contain industry costs. But FTA says that identification is nothing like enough - real investment must be made, substantially and quickly.

FTA's Chief Economist Simon Chapman said, "The TIF wish list of runners and riders contains no surprises and duplicates FTA's target trade routes, the essential road and rail infrastructure needed to keep UK industry on the move. Despite this, all will now require time consuming value-for-money appraisals and, at best, the chances are that we will not see any real money before 2008/9.

"An hour's delay for a 40 tonne lorry costs around £35 and, overall, congestion is costing UK industry £20 billion per year in delays, missed deliveries and lack of journey time reliability plus all of the wasted man hours better spent on productivity or leisure. That is why we must invest more in our infrastructure in order to turn the Government's wish list into a go-for-it hit list and just get on with it.

"In recent months FTA has commissioned research work by MDS Transmodal which has confirmed the impact of economic growth in the UK over the next ten years and described the consequences of this growth for the national trade route network. This work, which will be published soon, confirms that it is essential that there be an early and substantial investment in the trade route network if we are to avoid the costly consequences to the economy and the environment which result from less efficient freight transport. The message from FTA is that we simply cannot afford to wait."

FTA's Freight Future report will be published later in the summer.

Details of the strategic road and rail routes identified for possible productivity TIF funding can be found on the FTA website.