Delays on measures to cut delays

18 October 2006

  • More consultation on roadwork delays launched
  • 2004 powers now pushed back to 2007
  • Motoring group calls for urgent action to ease congestion

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Urgent action is needed to stop the traffic chaos caused by utility companies' roadworks, a key motoring group has warned as another Government consultation is launched.

The RAC Foundation says many new measures introduced in 2004 to pull the UK's 200 utility companies into line will now not be in place until 2007.

It says the 2004 Traffic Management Act sought to reduce the congestion caused by utility companies, but is being delayed by a second round of consultation launched by the Department for Transport this week.

Executive director of the RAC Foundation Edmund King said: 'We need this introduced with urgency. It does seem ridiculous that mankind had the will and expertise to get a man on the moon 37 years ago, yet today we don't seem able to co-ordinate roadworks.'

The DfT wants to know whether the £5000-a-day fines that can be imposed on utility companies for works that overrun are fair, and when councils should have greater control over works on busy routes.

It insists, however, that the measures will improve reduce congestion caused by utility works. Transport minister Gillian Merron said: 'We want local authorities to do all they can to co-ordinate works in their roads to keep traffic moving.'

The DfT's own 2003 study found that 50% of companies would exaggerate the length of time works would take to avoid fines, and that water companies dig up roads twice as often as electrical or gas firms.

It found that half of resurfacing work isn't up to scratch, with the 1.1 million holes that are dug in roads each year costing the economy £4.3 billion.

What do you think?
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