Money to pay for the soaring costs of building new roads should be diverted into green alternatives, says the Campaign to Protect Rural England.
Of 151 road schemes recently completed or which are on-going, 96 have gone over budget and 21 have doubled in cost and one mile of motorway now costs £23million to build.
The CPRE says the bill for 39 national road schemes has risen by an extra £1.3billion.
The Highways Agency said it has tried to reduce expense, but land and
property value fluctuations affected costs.
The CPRE says costs are often allowed to "escalate" but the practice should stop.
The figures released in answers to Commons questions by MPs Colin Challen and John Hayes, reveal that building one mile of motorway costs on average £23million while a mile of dual carriageway costs £12million.
The figures were highlighted as local authorities submit their five-year local transport plans to government. These plans will include even more proposals for new roads with often only a token gesture towards public transport.
Campaigners said more money should be invested in sustainable transport
measures, such as public transport, safety schemes and improvements for
walking and cycling.
CPRE's head of transport policy, Paul Hamblin, said: "The Transport White
Paper recognises that road building offers no long-term solution to today's
transport problems.
"And yet ministers and many local authorities continue with plans which
will see more tarmac laid over green fields.
"These figures show that there is a high price to pay for the taxpayer as
well as everyone who cares for our countryside."
The Highways Agency claims budgets are now being better controlled.
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