New scheme to minimise impact of disruptive roadworks is approved

The length of time spent on roadworks and when they take place is to be targeted now that Oxfordshire County Council has been given government permission to introduce a lane rental scheme (LRS).

Utility firms such as water, electricity, gas, broadband providers, plus developers and other companies often intervene on road networks in Oxfordshire and elsewhere leading to delays and congestion. A lane rental scheme allows a highway authority to charge per day for work, restricted to the busiest roads at the busiest times.

Such 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.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Whether as pedestrians, cyclists, motorists or nearby residents, we are all familiar with the frustration of the sudden arrival of utilities companies to dig up the roads and create severe problems on the network.

“The work is very often emergency-related and councils have no option to agree to it given that otherwise people’s homes and businesses would potentially be cut off from water, electricity or other essentials.

“However, it is in everyone’s interests for these utilities to minimise their impacts and a lane rental scheme is one such way. 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 expeditiously as possible.

“This type of scheme has been seen to work elsewhere. We were told in late October by the Department for Transport that we could implement a lane rental scheme of our own and we are now eager to implement it and reap the benefits for everyone in Oxfordshire.”

The LRS would encourage those working on the highway to prioritise off-peak hours and to complete the work as quickly as possible to reduce their costs. Any surplus money raised by the council would 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 charges only allow 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 benefits of an LRS include:

• encouraging collaborative working between works promoters
• improving the quality of work (to avoid return fees)
• works are undertaken outside of key times
• working smarter will reduce the time taken to complete works, including better use of technology.

Core principles of the scheme will include charging for working during peak hours. The council’s own roadworks will not be exempt from the charges.

Roughly nine per cent of the highway network would be liable for charges, based on factors such as traffic volume and bus frequency.

Any surplus income arising from the scheme must be invested back into the highway network to help improve the operation and management of it.

Investments can be delivered by both the county council and works promoters who have paid into the scheme and will be determined by a joint panel spanning both local authority and utility companies with an independent chair in line with Department for Transport regulations.

Minister for Roads and Buses, Simon Lightwood said: “This Government is pushing for smoother and faster journeys, which is why I’m delighted to approve Oxfordshire County Council’s lane rental scheme.

“We know just how frustrating roadworks are, but this scheme will finally hold utility companies to account and incentivise them to get on with works faster. That means less time stuck in traffic, helping get people get from A to B quicker and growing the economy as part of our Plan for Change.”

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