The Socio-Economic Benefits of Roads in Europe

Today the argument that roads are the backbone of Europe's socio-economic model is backed by solid empirical evidence and numerous academic studies. Despite this, declining infrastructure investment observed in many Member States (relative to gross domestic product (GDP) growth) coupled with European Union (EU) policies that overtly seek to curtail road transport growth spell an uncertain future for Europe's cohesion and competitiveness agenda. The publication of the 2nd edition of this report seeks to set the record straight by providing stakeholders with factual information on roads and how road transport is intertwined with the daily lives of Europe's over 500 million citizens. The report will present how citizens, companies, regions and states all benefit from the continuous growth in road transport demand and how investing in road infrastructure benefits the economy as a whole. This report will further highlight how technological trends, combined with forward-looking policies, can contribute to achieving safe, efficient and affordable mobility for European citizens.