New scheme to minimise impact of disruptive roadworks comes into force in May
The length of time spent on roadworks is to be targeted when Oxfordshire introduces a lane rental scheme (LRS) later this year.
Utility firms such as water, electricity, gas and broadband providers, plus developers and other companies, often intervene on road networks, leading to delays and congestion.
A lane rental scheme, which Oxfordshire County Council applied for in 2023 and was approved by the government last November, allows a highway authority to charge up to £2,500 per day for work on the busiest roads at peak traffic times.
Roads included in the Oxfordshire scheme, which begins on 5 May, are listed on the council’s website.
Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “It is in everyone’s interests for utility companies to minimise the impact their work has on our highway network, and a lane rental scheme is one way to achieve this.
“If they know they are going to be charged for the length of time they spend there, it is an incentive to complete the job as swiftly as possible. We look forward to being able to implement it and reap the benefits for everyone in Oxfordshire.”
Charges will apply during peak periods, including weekends and bank holidays, except on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Emergency safety repairs are granted a 48 hour grace period.
The LRS incentivises those working on the highway to prioritise off peak hours and to complete the work as quickly as possible to reduce their costs.
It also encourages greater use of new technology to speed up the work and more collaboration between promoters where costs can be shared.
Any surplus money raised by the council will be used to help manage and improve the highway network.
The council has been operating a permit scheme for road and street works since 2020 and receives about 30,000 requests a year. These requests are coordinated, inspected and enforced to reduce the impact on the travelling public.
However, the permit scheme – which will continue to operate – only allows council costs to be recovered and, unlike LRS, doesn’t allow the council to impose specific charges to discourage those requesting to work on the busiest roads at the busiest times.
The council’s own roadworks will not be exempt from the charges.
Roughly nine per cent of the highway network is liable for charges, based on factors such as traffic volume, pedestrian flow and bus frequency.
Similar schemes already operate in London, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex and government evaluations have shown each to be an effective way to reduce the duration of work and the impact of resulting congestion on the busiest parts of road networks.
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