We will, of course, understand if your first reaction to a story about a politician promising something for the future is to give unfavourable odds to it actually happening. We're still awaiting that 80mph motorway speed limit we were assured was about to happen several years ago, for a start.
Make the M25 look appealing with a camera
But here's one that's likely to get the debate flowing, with the Prime Minister promising in a speech at the Confederation of British Industry conference he plans to deliver the "biggest, boldest and most far-reaching road improvement programme" for 40 years. We're told that the 'autumn statement' will include plans to allocate another £15bn to new roads and major upgrade projects.
According to newspaper reports, the biggest spends are likely to be on building the long-debated 'Stonehenge tunnel' on the A303. Trunk roads to be upgraded to dual carriageway include the A47 east of Leicester, stretches of the A27 along the south coast and the A1 north of Newcastle. We're also told there will be upgrades to major trans-Pennine routes, lanes added to over-stretched and - reading between the lines - more areas turned into active 'managed motorways.'
Of course, a cynic might point out that there's the small matter of a general election coming next May, and that very little of this is going to be happening before then...
[Source: Telegraph, pics from Highways Agency Flickr]