Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of introducing flexi permits which allow telecoms operators to carry out multiple works over multiple streets for a specified time.

The Department for Transport consulted twice on proposals for a flexi permit in autumn 2021 and February 2022. The proposals would have allowed one permit to cover a number of works over a period of time across a specific area. The proposals were strongly opposed by highway authorities. The Government published a response to the consultation in May 2022 which announced that the government had decided not to proceed with the proposal for flexi permits at that time. However, the government did say that it would continue to work with the street works sector to develop further the concept and provide more evidence. So far, trials have taken place in Sheffield, Bexley, Essex and Lancashire, on a voluntary basis by organisations in the sector.

Work is now underway to launch longer, more extensive trials - testing out different scenarios and in different areas than those that have happened to date. The trials seek to determine if potential benefits outweigh any drawbacks when flexi permits are used in conditions closer to real life - examining effects on congestion and reinstatement performance, for example. My officials are currently working with counterparts in the Department for Transport, a number of local authorities and telecoms operators to bring forward more trials in the new year.