ROADWORKS 2

A bid to tackle Britain's traffic jams is at the heart of a package of measures set to be unveiled. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling will outline the government's Traffic Management Bill which aims to crackdown on utility companies digging up roads. The move would give the Highways Authority and local councils more powers to try to keep traffic moving. The Highways Agency could get its own traffic officers to sort incidents out and keep motorists moving. Transport Secretary Mr Darling said, "New powers for councils to manage when and where street works are carried out will put an end to congestion caused by poorly planned and lengthy works. Neighbouring authorities will be required to work together to keep traffic flowing across the network."

The plans were announced during the State Opening of Parliament. During her speech the Queen said, "Legislation will be brought forward to improve traffic flows and manage road works more effectively." The congestion-cutting plans are reminiscent of the Cones Hotline, John Major's headline-grabbing scheme for cutting traffic jams. Motoring the organisation the AA estimates there are four million "dug" holes in Britain's roads at any one time. The details of the extra powers are expected to include forcing companies to get written permission to carry out road works - at present they have to give notice to town halls. There will also be new charges for scaffolding and skips causing congestion and higher fines for firms which abuse street works legislation.

Before the early 1990s, only a dozen or so companies had statutory rights to take a dig up public highways. This grew to about 150 following the deregulation of telecommunications and other utilities and the advent of cable TV, all of which have a stake in the wires and pipes that run underground. Recent efforts to bring order to the problem have had limited success. Town halls were given the right to bill companies which overrun on their estimate for getting a job done. But this has led some to say utilities deliberately overestimate the time needed for repairs, by up to 50% according to a recent report by Halcrow. Research commissioned by the government has suggested two trials of "lane rental" schemes - another idea which could feature in the bill - had made little impact.

Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation, has welcomed the new legislation. "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," he said. "This new government legislation will hopefully address the balance in favour of road users and pedestrians who suffer unnecessary delays because of over-running road works." A major potential obstacle is that all utility firms, apart from telecoms, are allowed to pass on these extra costs to their customers. The plans for changes to the Highways Agency are designed to take pressure for relieving road congestion off traffic police.

The agency would have its own traffic officers - uniformed "jambusters" - patrolling roads, sorting out incidents such as crashes and keeping traffic moving. A Department for Transport official said, "This will free up 550 full-time officers to concentrate on crime in England and Wales." The measures are expected to include:

* Local authorities will appoint a traffic manager responsible for keeping traffic moving.

* Councils to be given greater control over utility companies' streetworks.

* New powers so local authorities can prevent repeated digging up of roads.

* Utility companies will have to apply for permits to carry out streetworks.

* Utility companies failing to repair roads properly face fines of up to £5,000 and will be forced to rectify previous poor work.

* Local authorities to take over certain traffic enforcement roles from police including enforcing box junction rules.

* Parking enforcement powers to be strengthened and local authorities will be able to apply for greater powers.

A blitz on firms that cause hours of frustration to motorists by digging up roads at peak times is being proposed by ministers. They are planning to hand far-reaching powers to local councils to impose swingeing fines on companies that carry out roadworks at the most inconvenient times. The move follows concerns that the cost to the economy of delays to business caused by work on motorways and trunk roads has risen to around £4billion a year. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond is to unveil details of a new “lane rental” scheme for roadworks.

Under his proposals, firms such as utility companies will have to pay fees for carrying out road repairs at the busiest times for traffic. Mr Hammond said, “Everyone knows how frustrating it can be when you are sat in a traffic jam, unable to get to work or drop off the children at school because someone is digging up the road. This disruption is expensive, with one estimate valuing the loss to the economy from roadworks congestion at £4billion a year. We simply cannot afford this. That is why I am putting forward proposals which would incentivise utility companies and local authorities to carry out their works at times when they will cause the minimum disruption to the travelling public.”

They are particularly concerned about work carried out by gas and electricity firms to underground pipes and cables during rush hour traffic or other times of congestion. Under the proposals, councils will be able to apply to the Department of Transport for permission to impose lane rental schemes on certain routes. Firms will then have to pay a fee for closing a lane to carry out work. If the maintenance is done at quiet times, particularly at night, the fees will be cut or waived. Councils will be able to use the cash raised to build or repair routes, cut local congestion or improve traffic management.

A spokeswoman for the Road Users’ Alliance said, “The roads are horribly congested, and it is a huge frustration for motorists. We will want to see the full details of these proposals, but anything that cuts congestion has to be welcomed.” Experimental lane rental schemes were tried in Camden in north London and Middlesbrough between 2002 and 2004, but no further projects have operated since then. The Department of Transport will launch a consultation into the proposals, which will run until the end of October. (Source: Daily Express, Aug/11)

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