Roads: Roadworks

Lord Sheldon Excerpts

Wednesday 28th November 2012 Lords Chamber

Asked By

[Lord Sheldon]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to introduce legislation to give local authorities control over the digging up of streets so as to minimise disruption to both residents and traffic.

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 places a duty on local authorities to co-ordinate works and on utility companies to co-operate. In addition, the Traffic Management Act 2004 allows authorities to introduce permit schemes, which better enable authorities to manage works for the benefit of all road users. The Government support permit schemes, which are currently in place in around a third of English authorities.

[Lord Sheldon]

My Lords, I will answer the Question that has been put: except in an emergency, all programmes must be approved by the council before they are undertaken and the council must ensure that congestion on the roads is kept to a minimum.

[Earl Attlee]

The noble Lord is quite right. At the lowest level, there are notification schemes where the contractor has to notify the local authority. Where necessary, rules are put in place. If a local authority has a permit scheme, the contractor has to have a permit before he can start work, and if he overruns he is liable for penalty charges.