Traffic chaos in the UK - There is a solution!! Britain is by far the most congested country in Europe - and it's getting worse every single day. In a dramatic U-turn from the 1997 election that promised 'No More Major Road Building', the Labour Government announced this week that they're about to spend £7 billion on several major road building projects, including making parts of the M25 into an eight lane super highway. The fact of the matter is that you can't build your way out of congestion - you have to think of alternatives - and quickly.

Paul M (aka.Sid) Editor Rip-Off Britain

In 1950 there were just two million cars on Britain's roads. Today there are 25 million cars on our small island and it's getting worse. By 2015 it's estimated there will be a 29% increase in traffic congestion. It will not be long before Britain's roads will in total gridlock.

The failure of successive Governments and a vast under investment in public transportation that is now chaotic and fragmented can be blamed for much of our current predicament. If we scrapped the road building program it would save £30bn over 10 years, and we might be able to fund a new revolution in public transport. Then of course, there's tolls and congestion charging. But's that's not the whole solution.

Unfortunately, Britons are addicted to their motor cars and find them convenient. 74 per cent of households have at least one car, whilst 72 per cent of motorists commute by car to work, and 55 per cent of those who have children at school take them there by car. If we could encourage people to get out of their cars and take alternative modes of transport much of the current congestion could be alleviated. Trucks also account for much of the congestion so getting our freight railways working again should also be a priority. Problem is unless we have a reliable and cheap public transportation system - that's cheaper than driving a car to work or a truck on the road, such as there exists in much on Continental Europe, it just won't happen. But there is a better way! It's simply a matter of a mixture of alternatives and attrition.

As a 'Biker' I went back to motorcycling some four years ago - mostly due to the frustration of both traffic congestion, parking restrictions and their related costs. Motorcycles account for less that 3% of traffic on our roads - but there could be more.

My FIRST solution is to completely ABOLISH ROAD TAX for all two wheeled motorised vehicles (motorcycles). This move would encourage many thousands of commuters and others to scrap driving their cars during the working week, and could have a dramatic effect in reducing traffic congestion caused by just too many cars 'with single occupants' at the wheel.

My SECOND solution is to increase the age of driving a car from the current 17 years, to age 21 years. Not only would it reduce car and pedestrian accidents dramatically, many of which are caused by the "under 21's" , but it would also encourage the young to take to two wheels (motorcycles or push-bikes) or force them take public transport especially if they were offered reduced fares.

My THIRD solution is to make the car driving test much MORE DIFFICULT to pass. It's my belief that the current test is far too easy (I'd also make it mandatory for all able bodied car driver candidates to pass the motorcycle CBT before they get a car driving licence). The car driving current test should be akin to taking a pilots licence. This would promote better and safer driving and would reduce accidents, thus reducing NHS costs!

My FORTH solution is to invoke a mandatory eye test EVERY TWO YEARS for all drivers over 60 years of age. I'm sure this could remove a great many drivers off the road who probably shouldn't be driving anyway. In addition, those over 70 years of age should have a medical EVERY YEAR. If they fail they too would forfeit their drivers licence.

Of course, unless we get our public transportation system working properly like it does in the rest of Europe, and reduce the price of travelling on a train or a bus to LESS than it costs to run a car, we will continue to create massive congestion.