ROAD tolls to fund much-needed investment may be necessary to cut the £19 billion annual cost of congestion to British business, according to the Confederation of British Industry. CBI director general Adair Turner has called for an extra £2.5 billion a year for the next decade to be pumped into transport by the Government.

Turner said, however, that it was not just Government which must act. He said better use must be made of the existing transport network with companies 'thinking long and hard and innovatively' about the way they transport their staff, inputs and products.

And urging fiscal reform he said cash must be raised to invest in infrastructure projects which will be economically beneficial and he added: 'Road pricing to fund much-needed investment is an idea whose time may have come - so long as the funds from any additional charges are clearly dedicated to reinvestment in the transport network.'

In calling for action Turner said: 'A long-term strategy is good - but it should not rule out actions in the short term. Many small actions can add up to something significant. And this incremental approach also avoids dislocation to the economy and lowers the risk of unintended consequences. Some small actions are relatively easy but would give considerable immediate returns - such as enforcing existing policies on vehicle emissions and on bus lane regulations.'