It's no coincidence that congestion is worst in London, the richest part of Britain. We expect to be able to travel where we want and when we want and complain when congestion means we can't. Compared with much of the world, Britain's transport system works rather well. Americans are impressed by our railways, even if we aren't, and Heathrow remains the world's biggest international destination. But set against the rest of the EU, transport in Britain is undeniably unimpressive.
Money is at the root of the problem.
The chancellor's spending boost should help improve this aspect of the problem. But other causes will prove harder to tackle - geography, for instance. France has a far lower population density than Britain, and wealth is more evenly spread across the country. That makes it easier to establish a smooth-running transport network. In 1979, there were 70 cars per mile of road.