The Freight Transport Association has produced a list of the top 10 motorway junction pinch points, as identified by its members.

The Association told transport minister John Spellar that the problems of the ever-decreasing road network reliability are placing a massive burden on the efficiency and competitiveness of UK industry.

FTA chief executive Richard Turner commented: 'We have a world class transport and logistics industry but it is suffering major problems out on the public road network. Only government can solve this reliability problem – no matter how well we engineer our supply chains they will fail on a poor network.

'The economy, the industry and all road users are entitled to expect a motorway network of a 21st century standard, fit for the purpose of moving freight and people.' The top ten motorway pinch points are: Dartford River Crossing; M40/A46 junction, Warwick; M4/M25 junction, Almondsbury, Bristol; M25/M4 junction, Heathrow; M56/M60 junction, Northenden, Manchester; A14/M11 junction, Cambridge; M5/M6 junction, Birmingham; M25/M40 junction, Uxbridge; M25/M3 junction, Virginia Water; and M62/M60/M602 junction Worlsey, Manchester.