The government had hoped to reduce traffic on Britain's roads - up 79% since 1980 - but each year it rises.

Traffic jams cost time and money, but coaxing drivers from cars as motoring becomes cheaper is not easy.

Plans to widen motorways and improve trunk roads have raised environmental concerns.

The Lib Dems want faster progress on replacing car and fuel tax with pay-as-you go road charging.

The Tories want to end the war on motorist but aim to reduce car emissions.

Before mayor Ken Livingstone levied a �5 charge on drivers, the average car speed in central London had hit 3mph.

Two years on, there are 70,000 fewer vehicles a day in the zone, congestion is down 30% and bus use has shot up.

But some say it has damaged trade and other cities do not have London's public transport to fall back on.

Cardiff, Bristol, Leeds are considering it, but Edinburgh rejected a charge

Lib Dems strongly back congestion charging.

Decades of underinvestment and a series of crashes have dogged the network, which has halved in size since 1950.

But in the past decade there has been a steady rise in passengers with which the network has struggled to cope.

Punctuality has improved but is not what it was before the 2000 Hatfield crash while fares continue to rise.

The government has announced plans to take back more control and streamline the complicated railway structure, but stopped short of re-nationalisation.

Faced with huge costs of updating the ageing London Underground, ministers turned to the private sector, already used to finance new roads under PFI.

Under the controversial PPP scheme the Tube's maintenance was privatised, but overall control left in public hands.

Two consortiums have pledged to raise �15.7bn over 30 years to improve stations and replace trains and track.

But delays setting it up mean clearing the maintenance backlog will take 22 years - not the 15 first intended.

Airports in the UK are set for major expansion over the next 30 years.

Ministers say air travel is crucial to the economy and say new runways are needed to cope because demand for flights is expected to triple by 2030.

But many fear increased noise and the destruction of nearby homes and farmland, while aircraft emissions could increase pollution.

Stansted is to get a second runway while a third runway and sixth terminal are being considered for Heathrow, if environmental targets are met.