Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce disruption to road users from utility companies undertaking road works.

The Government is committed to supporting the effective planning and management of road works by utility companies and local authorities.  Works are needed to install and maintain the services on which we all rely and to, for example, roll out broadband and install electric vehicle charge points and to repair potholes.  We continue to improve our Street Manager digital service, which is used by all utility companies and authorities to raise and approve the permits needed for works.  The service also streams open data on live and planned works which can then be used for journey planning services.  We are supporting the roll-out of more lane rental schemes to reduce congestion from works on the busiest streets at the busiest times. We are keen to explore ways to improve the legislative framework, and I will publish a response in due course to a consultation on raising fines and introducing overrun charges at weekends.