PRIME Minister David Cameron has responded to industry calls for more infrastructure investment by announcing that next month’s Autumn Statement will unveil ‘the biggest, boldest and most far-reaching road improvement programme in four decades’.

He told the CBI annual conference there would be a £15 billion cash boost to tackle more than 100 of the most notorious problem hotspots on England’s roads by the end of the decade.

His announcement followed a recent call by manufacturers to urgently invest in the country’s crumbling road network as part of a package of infrastructure measures.

EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, pressed for the investment on the back of a survey showing deteriorating confidence by business in many parts of UK infrastructure networks, especially the road system.

It said findings also showed a continued failure to make significant progress towards creating integrated transport networks, while the UK’s digital communications networks and energy supply also scored poorly.

More than a third of companies questioned view the motorway and A road network as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’, while nearly 40 per cent of companies had a similar view about their local road network and believe road networks have got worse over the last couple of years.

The survey showed over two thirds of companies want investment in the motorway and A road network, with nearly 40 per cent calling for a boost to their local road network .

The survey also backed EEF’s call for a permanent Infrastructure Authority with around 60 per cent of companies viewing the UK’s attempts at integrating different transport networks as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

Manufacturers also called for increased air capacity, with 97 per cent of export-intensive companies seeing aviation networks as ‘critical’. More than a quarter of firms also regard the country’s energy networks as poor and 40 per cent of companies regarding the broadband network as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

Andy Tuscher, EEF Yorkshire regional director, said: “These results highlight widespread concern that the quality of business infrastructure is declining rather than improving, with the deterioration of the road network of particular concern.

“Roads are the backbone of the economy and the glue that holds the rest of the transport network together. Four-fifths of manufacturers saying they are critical to their business operations. Similar concerns exist about our energy and digital networks.

“The message from manufacturers to the Chancellor for the remainder of this Parliament is clear – finish the job on road, energy and broadband projects.”