Traffic congestion

When too many motor vehicles occupy the same road system, traffic slows down and may stop altogether. In industrialized countries, roads to cities often become congested as more and more people own cars. In Britain, motorway traffic doubled between 1983 and 1993.

In 1993, it was estimated that within a few years freight transport would increase on European roads by 70% and by 100% across EEC/EU borders. In Britain, road congestion costs businesses 15 billion pounds a year in lost time from work.