Lane rental scheme to reduce roadwork chaos

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Car Rental News - 12/05/2011

 

A new scheme aims to cut traffic chaos caused by road works.

New plans are being developed that would let local authorities operate lane rental schemes. The scheme, being drafted by Britain’s Department for Transport (DfT), would allow local authorities to charge daily rates to firms digging up the roads for each lane blocked during busy traffic times.

Under the lane rental schemes, local authorities would be given the powers to make utilities companies and other firms responsible for road works pay daily charges for each lane that is occupied by the road works. The scheme could be in use in London by next year.

Boris Johnson, London’s Mayor, is planning to launch the lane rental programme in London by the spring of 2012. The scheme would be aimed at the busiest roads in London during peak times. The objective is to give utilities companies and other organizations incentives to perform their road works when traffic is not so busy.

The DfT is drafting the regulations at the moment. Consultation will be held over the summer on the new regulations, as well as TfL’s proposals concerning lane rental.

If the regulations are approved, they could be in place before the end of this year. This would let London’s Mayor apply to launch the first lane rental scheme in the UK running in London before the middle of next year.

According to some calculations, London’s road works are responsible for 38 per cent of traffic delays in the cities. Road works are also thought to cost the capital’s economy nearly £1 billion every year.

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