Almost a third of small businesses in the West Midlands estimate they are losing out financially every year because Britain's roads and railways are simply not good enough, according to a survey which is released today.

Top of the transport trauma-list in the West Midlands is traffic congestion which, according to 43 per cent of owners and managers, has the single biggest negative effect on their businesses, the report said.

Almost two in ten West Midlands small firms (18 per cent) said they lose up to £1,000 a year, while three per cent say it costs them in the region of £5,000. A further seven per cent believed their businesses have to absorb between £1,000 and £2,000 a year because of transport problems.

More than a third of businesses across the country said they are losing up to £10,000 a year because "Britain's roads and railways are simply not good enough", the research from the Bibby Financial Services company found.

The results also show poor transport infrastructure is costing the UK's small businesses a total of £755 million a year.

And more than half (55 per cent) of transport businesses estimate their annual losses at £5,000. The major problem, across the UK is traffic congestion which, according to 37 per cent of owners and managers, has the single biggest negative effect on their businesses.

Other major issues which companies said were caused by "Britain's poor transport infrastructure" include lost production time due to staff lateness.

Federation of Small Businesses' transport chairman Steve Collie said: "Transport is an essential tool of the trade for small firms."

He added: "But transport problems, such as traffic jams, railway cancellations and never- ending roadworks, severely handicap small businesses."