The UK government commemorated National Pothole Day on the 15th of January by introducing measures aimed at addressing disruptive roadworks and raising up to £100 million for local road improvements.
Roads minister Guy Opperman has launched a street works consultation to explore strategies discouraging utility companies from exceeding their allotted time for roadworks. Currently, these companies can be fined £10,000 for each day they overrun, and the government is proposing an extension of fines to cover weekends and bank holidays to dissuade work during peak travel periods.
Additionally, the plan aims to instruct local councils to allocate at least half of the funds generated from 'lane rental' schemes towards roads maintenance and repair. Although lane rental allows authorities to charge utility companies during road occupancy, the government's scheme does not address potential funding gaps for other council programs that may arise if lane rental income is redirected to road projects.
The government asserts that these combined measures could yield an extra £100 million for road improvements over the next decade, contributing to congestion reduction. While recognising the necessity of utility companies' maintenance work, the government estimates that the two million street works conducted in England alone incur a £4 billion cost to the economy due to congestion and delays.
Roads minister Guy Opperman emphasised the government's commitment to supporting drivers stating, “This Government is backing drivers, with a robust approach to utility companies and others, who dig up our streets”
“We will seek to massively increase fines for companies that breach conditions and fine works that overrun into weekends and bank holidays, while making the rental for such works help generate up to an extra £100 million to improve local roads.”
