A "radical overhaul" is required on UK road travel to prevent future gridlock, it has been reported.

Suggested changes include staggered commuting, car-sharing and more home working to help reduce congestion, according to a report from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

The CBI also recommended adopting American-style yellow school buses to reduce traffic during the school run.

Estimates from the CBI, which aims to create conditions in which all businesses in the UK can prosper and compete, say that congestion costs the UK economy around £8 billion a year.

Vehicle traffic has increased by a quarter over the last 20 years and the CBI predicts that the cost to the economy could be more than doubled by 2025 if current problems are not addressed.

The confederation suggests in its report that road pricing is introduced on new roads, with tolls implemented on both motorways and A-roads, in an effort to tackle excessive congestion.

Some 96 per cent of businesses want the government to prioritise reducing rush-hour traffic congestion and for there to be "fresh thinking" in terms of implementing initiatives aimed at tackling traffic, according to a survey conducted by the confederation.

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