Business leaders in the North have major concerns over the lack of investment in the region's roads.

The poll of bosses by the CBI, released today, shows the North-East is suffering more than the rest of the country from a poor transport network.

The organisation wants an extra £1bn for "quick win" road and rail schemes in Gordon Brown's pre-Budget report next week.

And it said "decrepit" planning systems must be reformed to enable projects to go ahead.

CBI director-general Sir Digby Jones warned that the investment in London transport ahead of the 2012 Olympics should not be at the expense of projects in the rest of the country.

The report comes amid The Journal's campaign, along with our sister paper the Evening Gazette and the North-East Chamber of Commerce, for roads policy in the region to help attract new jobs.

The campaign calls on the Highways Agency to stop using its powers to block development close to the A1 and A19, and to upgrade congested parts of the roads.

The CBI survey illustrates the importance North-East businesses place on transport policy. Nationally, 33% of firms say transport problems are having a notable impact on investment, but the figure rises to 52% in the North-East.

And while 63% of UK businesses say road capacity improvements is the transport measure that would produce the most benefits, 76% of North-East firms rate it as the best course of action.

Sarah Green, director of CBI North-East, said: "There have been no major road investments in the region for 25 years and this needs to change if the North-East is to continue to see improvements in economic performance."

North-East Chamber of Commerce chief executive George Cowcher said: "This underlines our current concerns over the Highways Agency's attitude towards development alongside key routes in the North-East. It highlights the pressing need for change." Sir Digby said: "We also need reform to the decrepit planning regime, which is still stuck in the 1940s - so that new projects can actually get built."

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling, who meets the CBI today, said: "We are providing record levels of investment to improve transport between now and 2015.

"By 2007, transport spending, after inflation, will be over 60% higher than in 1997. By 2015 it will be double 1997 levels in real terms."

What is go for jobs?

It is a campaign backed by The Journal, our sister paper the Evening Gazette and the North-East Chamber of Commerce. It is prompted by the Highways Agency's use of Article 14 to stop business developments, potentially creating thousands of jobs, if they involve adding more cars to the A1 or A19.

What is an Article 14?

It is a piece of legislation which allows the agency to block planning applications where they could add more traffic to congested roads.

What's wrong with that?

It may be valid in areas where roads are already upgraded and the economy is over-heating.

But in the North-East, the transport infrastructure suffers from under-investment, and the economy has to catch up with the rest of the country. This will delay road improvements, and block new job-creating businesses, in a region that badly needs both.

What should happen?

We believe the Highways Agency should immediately lift Article 14 orders that are in place, and stop using the powers around these roads.

So how do we deal with congestion?

The agency and local councils need to find better alternatives to ease congestion.

These could include a "fast lane" on the Western bypass for through traffic, which is closed off to junctions. There also should be a robust public transport system.

How about the long term?

There should be no further delay to the upgrades to the A1 and A19, with an extra lane where necessary on the Western bypass, to give Newcastle and Gateshead a comparable transport link to other major UK cities.

Page 2: Study wants more commuter trains