Charge to dig up roads proposed

21 August 2011 Last updated at 19:00 ET

Utility companies would be charged to dig up roads during busy daytime periods

Proposals to charge utility companies for digging up roads during busy times in England are being put forward by the government in a national consultation.

Ministers propose that companies carrying out roadworks at peak times pay councils to rent the road space.

They would be able to avoid the charges by carrying out works during quieter periods or, if appropriate, at night.

As the 12-week consultation begins, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said such disruption was “expensive”.

‘Minimum disruption’

“Everyone knows how frustrating it can be when are sat in a traffic jam, unable to get to work or drop off the children at school because someone is digging up the road,” he said.

“This disruption is expensive as well as inconvenient, with one estimate valuing the loss to the economy from road works congestion at £4bn a year. We simply cannot afford this.

“That is why I am putting forward proposals which would incentivise utility companies and local authorities to carry out their works at times when they will cause the minimum disruption to the travelling public.”

The Department for Transport (DoT) has published a consultation and draft guidance to councils, outlining how lane rental schemes could be implemented.

It has also proposed that such schemes should initially be used in one urban and one non-metropolitan area.

Congestion reduction

It is suggested lane rental charges must be avoidable and proportionate to the costs of congestion.

Councils are also being encouraged to apply the same principles to their own works and suggest lane rental schemes for their own areas.

Under the plans, any revenue raised from the lane rental charges would be used by councils to fund measures which could help to reduce future road works disruption.

BBC local government correspondent Mike Sergeant said local authorities think decisions on whether to operate a charging scheme should be made locally, and not by officials in Whitehall.

After the consultation, London could be the first city to adopt a lane-rental system, he added.

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