The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has welcomed a new government ban on long stretches of roadworks being carried out on motorways. 

According to the group, the action could serve to significantly reduce delays and cut related costs incurred by HGV operators. 

Highways England has been ordered by transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin to introduce new rules for contractors that are intended to reduce lengthy queues. 

Head of road network management policy at the FTA Malcolm Bingham said lengthy roadworks create significant problems for the FTA's members. 

"We know that for the largest vehicles it costs £1 for every minute they're stuck in traffic. Limiting roadworks to two-mile stretches could considerably reduce the time they're delayed," he commented. 

Mr Bingham also noted that nose-to-tail shunts are much more commonplace in queues of slow-moving traffic, so this risk will be reduced.