Utilities’ roadworks cost £2bn in delays
A motorist organisation is calling on the Government to introduce legislation to cut the £2 billion of delays caused by utility companies digging up the roads a priority for its return from recess.
The RAC Foundation highlighted that the present legislation to control the disruption caused by holes in the road was introduced twelve years ago when only a handful of utilities existed.
However, the increasing popularity of high speed internet and the de-regulation of gas and electricity services has meant that over a 150 companies are now allowed to dig up the highway.
The Government introduced new legislation in 2001 to allow local authorities to fine utility companies £2,000 for overstaying their welcome during maintenance work. But recent research by the Transport Research Laboratory suggests that traffic disruption and congestion is continuing to grow at an alarming rate.
Edmund King, Executive Director of the RAC Foundation, stated, ‘For far too long the utilities have been given a free hand to dig holes in the road and have given little consideration to extensive and expensive traffic delays that result.’
The RAC Foundation wants the Government to introduce a new Bill in the autumn that would enable every local authority to employ a ‘road tsar’ that could co-ordinate the road works.
If the new Bill gets the green light in the autumn it will introduce a new ‘permit’ system, whereby a utility company would have to obtain written permission to undertake road works; expand the powers that local authorities have to prevent a utility starting roadworks; and, increase the level of fines which utilities can face if they abuse any aspect of street works legislation.
The RAC Foundation welcomed the experiment in Camden and Middlesborough where utility companies face daily charges of £1,000 for carrying works that require digging up the roads.
Mr King added, ‘The RAC Foundation has been actively campaigning to speed up road works and for better co-ordination between utility companies for over six years and while real progress has been made, there is still much more to be done It is vital that the Government will, as expected, introduce the new street works bill in the autumn.’
