Britain’s roads are disgraceful, according to a leading motoring organisation.

A report by the AA Motoring Trust found one in five miles of A-roads in England failed a basic safety skid test.

The report found that 3,400 miles of roads failed the test. Safety standards on B-roads and C-roads were even worse.

The organisation called for billions of pounds to be pumped into road improvement projects.

It said some £38 billion a year had to be found to maintain and improve Britain’s roads.

Commenting on the Government’s 10-year plan to raise up standards of British roads to the European average, AA Motorist Trust director, John Dawson said: “The Government now knows that the idea that Britain’s transport could rival any in Europe by 2010 is plain silly.

“In this country, we invest so much less than other European countries.

“It knows now that the rot on roads and bridges matches the rot on rail and underground.”

Meanwhile, Professor David Begg, who chairs the Campaign for Integrated Transport, said road tolls across the length and breadth of Britain would soon be a common reality.

On December 9th, Britain’s first pay-as-you-go motorway, the 27-mile M6 toll, situated north of Birmingham, opened for business.