Gridlock and Road Rage

Millions of drivers find themselves trapped in traffic jams each year. And it's getting worse, with commuting times doubling since 2003 (source: Peninsula). The result is road rage: wasted time, exasperation and frayed tempers.

Cutting Edge follows long suffering commuters and meets the teams trying to improve the situation: we get a rare glimpse of the Highways Agency, an unloved army of civil servants in bunkers who're able to close a motorway at the touch of a button.

They have the tricky task of keeping the roads moving, using overhead signs to tell everyone when a lane is closed, or the whole road. The agency wants to avoid gridlock.

And spare a thought for the objects of drivers' wrath – the road workers who stand accused of causing the jams. With only a "stop/go" board for protection, they risk abuse and even bombardments of eggs from passing motorists.

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