Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to strengthen the legislative framework governing statutory authorities' ability to obstruct the highway for the purposes of repair and maintenance; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) that framework in reducing avoidable traffic delays and (b) lane rental schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Utility companies need to access the highway to repair, maintain and install the infrastructure on which we all rely. But that does not mean works should take any longer than is necessary.

This Government has been reforming and modernising the legislative framework in recent years to reduce the congestion caused by works and to provide up-to-date information to road users. We have set up and delivered Street Manager - our digital service that is used by all local authorities and utility companies for planning and managing works and which now streams open data on live and planned works. We recently consulted on further reform www.gov.uk/government/consultations/street-manager-and-permit-scheme-changes

We published two evaluations on the effectiveness of permit schemes that almost every authority now operates (in 2018) and the pioneer lane rental schemes in Kent and in London (in 2016): www.gov.uk/government/publications/street-works-permit-schemes-evaluation-of-effectiveness;www.gov.uk/government/publications/street-works-lane-rental-evaluation Both of these informed further policy development including our decision to allow new lane rental schemes to be set up. Surrey County Council operate the latest scheme that began in April 2021.