Utilities should pay for roadworks
UTILITY COMPANIES will be charged by the hour for digging up busy roads in England if new Government proposals go ahead.
Hitting firms with a bill could halve the number of delays motorists face, according to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.
Around 2.5m roadworks are carried out every year costing the economy an estimated £4bn in lost working hours and delayed deliveries.
The Department for Transport is consulting on plans following trials in London and Kent and is set to introduce reforms in 2019.
Mr Grayling said: “Delays caused by roadworks can be the bane of drivers’ lives – especially when they take place at rush hour on busy routes.
“These proposals would give councils greater powers to ensure utility companies avoid carrying out works at the busiest times and on the most popular routes. This would not only improve journeys and cut congestion but also save businesses from the increased costs they incur as a result of traffic on our roads.”
However, AA president Edmund King warned that it “would not be acceptable” if roads were patched up quickly but poorly to keep within the rental period.
“One issue that we hope is resolved with lane rental is making sure that whoever digs up the road returns it back in a good state,” he said.
Martin Tett, transport spokesman of the Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said: “It is crucial that councils are given these powers without lengthy national approval mechanisms, so they can ensure critical roadworks are carried out as quickly as possible.”