A doubling of the rollout rate is needed if the National Development Plan's road building targets for the period to 2010 are to be met, according to a report submitted to Government.

The IBEC report submitted to the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, says the rollout rate needs to be increased from less than 50 kms a year to more than 100 kms a year. It says that Portugal is targeting the construction of 200 kms a year in its motorway rollout programme.

The employers' group's report also criticises the level of funding available to the National Roads Authority and says the underfunding of the agency is the key factor behind the slippage in delivery times that has been seen.

The report calls on the Government to continue investing in road construction until a comprehensive 2,500 km network has been completed.

The public private partnership contribution to the plan should be increased from 9 per cent to 15 per cent, the report says, or to the equivalent of a €2 billion contribution.

More toll roads could be built without the Republic reaching the European norm for average toll charge per km of network.

The report, which was sponsored by Readymix, NTR plc, Dublin Port Co and Roadstone, says consultants Atkins have found there is a need for €5.5 billion to be invested post 2010 for upgrading 1,420 kms of road.

The rollout rate needed to meet the revised targets for the period to 2010 is equivalent to that achieved by the major European economies in their peak post-war motorway building period.

The reports says transport infrastructure is a key element in an economy's competitiveness.

It says the business community also supports investment in public transport and notes that European cities similar in size to Dublin, such as Barcelona and Helsinki, have achieved a 40 per cent plus public transport rate, compared to Dublin's 25 per cent.