Roadwork fee powers should be rolled out nationwide – LGA
LGA media release 26 January 2012
Responding to Department for Transport plans announced today for councils to be allowed to charge lane rental fees to utility companies carrying out roadworks, Councillor Peter Box, Chairman of the LGA's Economy and Transport Board, said:
"Councils have long called for the power to introduce lane rental schemes to ease roadwork congestion for motorists during rush hour. This announcement from the Department for Transport is a step in the right direction.
"However, we feel that trialling the initiative first is unnecessary. This is a good idea and any frustrated motorist who has had to spend wasted hours held up in miles of tailbacks would agree that the sooner councils are allowed to get on top of this problem the better.
"Councils know the pressures of their local roads and there is no need for the extra bureaucracy requiring each scheme to be approved by Whitehall civil servants, potentially hundreds of miles away from the areas in question.
"There are also other issues on top of rush hour roadworks, like different companies digging up then relaying the same stretch at different times, or contractors overrunning or botching a job and leaving a damaged surface in their wake. Repairing such damage costs taxpayers an estimated £70 million a year.
"Councils are relied upon to keep roads in good repair and traffic moving. They need to be given powers to address these issues, including allowing them to take a ‘bond' or deposit from utility companies so if they don't do the job properly local authorities can more easily recoup the costs of repair."
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Author: LGA Media Office
Contact: LGA Media Office, Telephone: 020 7664 3333
Notes to editors
1. The Department for Transport today announced new powers tor councils to control road works by charging up to £2,500 a day to dig up the busiest roads at peak times.
Media release on Department for Transport website
2. The introduction of a lane rental scheme in London led to a 40 per cent reduction in roadworks in the capital last year.
Media release on Greater London Authority website
3 May 2012
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