Plans to increase
penalties for disruptive road works - Not for release until 0001
Tuesday 22 December 2009
Utility companies
who do not finish their road works on time will face increased
charges under new plans announced today by Transport Minister
Sadiq Khan MP.
The current maximum daily charge is £2,500, but to encourage
companies to complete works on time increases to as much as
£25,000 may be justified.
Also proposed are lane rental schemes for those companies wanting
to carry out works on the busiest roads and good practice guidance
for councils and utility companies. This guidance will outline how
to make sure that those affected most by street works disruption
are informed properly, for example, through working with bus
companies to ensure that they can plan alternative routes and by
text messaging residents and commuters affected by road works.
The plan was drawn after the Department for Transport hosted the
street works summit with road user groups, utility companies, bus
operators and local authorities in October 2009.
Sadiq Khan MP said:
"Everyone knows that road works are necessary to keep
essential infrastructure in good order but councils and utility
companies need to keep disruption to a minimum for the travelling public.
"Each year road works cost our country £4.2 billion -
this is unacceptable and unaffordable. Some contractors are
showing a blatant disregard for the needs of road users which is
why I am proposing to increase the maximum fines for utility
companies who let their road works overrun as well as putting
forward proposals to charge companies for carrying out work on the
busiest routes where disruption affects the most people.
"We want to ensure that utility companies and local
authorities are doing everything they can to reduce disruption
whether this means working with bus operators to ensure they have
enough notice to plan alternative routes or improving
communication with commuters and local residents affected by road
works."
Plans published today include:
- Develop, consult and implement an increase in maximum overrun
charges for traffic sensitive routes.
- Revise inspection regulations to ensure that those with a poor
performance record face a greater inspection burden.
- Develop, consult and implement new regulations for lane rental
to operate on the most traffic sensitive routes.
- Produce good practice guide for utility companies and highway
authorities on improving communications with road users and communities.
- Publish advice for councils on drawing up an application for
permit schemes.
- Develop scoring system of road works sector to improve data on performance.
The DfT will also publish a report from the Street Works Summit
held in October 2009.
Notes to Editors
1. Copies of the Street Works Summit Report and Action Plan are
available on request.
2. The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) sets out the
regulatory regime for works in the street carried out by
undertakers. This was amended by the Traffic Management Act 2004
(TMA), which also introduced powers for local authorities to
operate a permit scheme.
3. Statutory undertakers (mainly utility companies) have a
statutory right to place, maintain or repair apparatus in or under
the highway.
4. Permits scheme strengthens the tools at local
authorities' disposal to carry out their network
management duty under the Act. A council running a permit scheme
is able to charge companies for providing a permit although any
charge should cover costs and should not result in a surplus. In
July, the Secretary of State approved the permit scheme submitted
by Kent County Council, which will start on 25 th January. In
October the London Common Permit Scheme submitted by Transport for
London and 18 London boroughs – Barnet, Brent, Bromley, Camden,
City of London, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Hackney, Hammersmith and
Fulham, Haringey, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea,
Lewisham, Redbridge, Wandsworth and City of Westminster – was
approved and will be implemented from 11 th January.
5. It will be a criminal offence to work without a permit. The
maximum fine will be £5,000. It will be an offence to not meet a
permit condition, for which the maximum fine is £2,500. Fixed
Penalty Notices, as an alternative enforcement mechanism, can also
be given for working without a permit or not meeting a permit
condition.
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