GOVERNMENT TO CRACK DOWN ON DISRUPTIVE ROADWORKS UNDER NEW PLANS

Roads Minister Guy Opperman has launched a street works consultation on a series of measures to prevent utility companies from letting roadworks overrun and clogging up traffic as a result. Although it is recognised that gas, water and other utility companies carry out vital maintenance work to provide the services we all rely on, the 2 million street works carried out in England in 2022/2023 have cost the economy around £4billion by causing severe road congestion and disrupting journeys. The consultation seeks to extend the current £10,000 per day fine for overrunning street works into weekends and bank holidays as a deterrent for working on the busiest days for road travel. Currently, they are only fined for disruption on working days. The measures could double fines from £500 up to a maximum of £1,000 for companies who breach conditions of the job, such as working without a permit. The plans announced today (Monday) would also direct at least 50% of money from ‘lane rental’ schemes to be used to improve roads and repair potholes. Lane rental schemes allow local highway authorities to charge companies for the time that street and road works occupy the road. Up to £100million could be generated over the next 10 years to help fund the resurfacing of roads, with the new measures also helping tackle congestion, cutting down journey times and helping drivers get from A to B easier. Transport Secretary Mark Harper has said:

“After investing an extra £8.3 billion to resurface roads across England, the largest ever increase in funding for local road improvements, this Government continues to back drivers with these new measures from our Plan for Drivers. “Our new proposals seek to free up our roads from overrunning street works, cut down traffic jams and generate up to £100 million extra to resurface roads up and down the country.”

Roads Minister Guy Opperman adds:

“Being stuck in traffic is infuriating for drivers. Too often traffic jams are caused by overrunning street works. “This Government is backing drivers, with a robust approach to utility companies and others, who dig up our streets. We will seek to massively increase fines for companies that breach conditions and fine works that overrun into weekends and bank holidays, while making the rental for such works help generate up to an extra £100 million to improve local roads.”