Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has instructed Highways England to review their speed of response for providing permits for roadworks to enable water companies to meet their targets set by Ofwat in relation to leakage reduction.

Water companies are not required to seek permission from Highways England to work on the strategic road network (SRN), only to give notice. In cases where planned work would cause disruption or clash with other plans, Highways England may ask the water company to adjust the day or time of the planned works.

Highways England is in dialogue with the utilities industry to forge closer relationships, in order to proactively support its roads delivery programme and the industry’s requirements on the SRN.