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Councils could be fined £5,000 a day for unmanned roadworks Councils could be fined £5,000 a day for unmanned roadworks
(35 minutes later)
Councils and utility companies could be fined up to £5,000 a day for leaving roadworks unmanned at weekends, the Department for Transport has said.Councils and utility companies could be fined up to £5,000 a day for leaving roadworks unmanned at weekends, the Department for Transport has said.
The proposal is among measures the government is considering to try to reduce congestion on English A-roads.The proposal is among measures the government is considering to try to reduce congestion on English A-roads.
Those carrying out work on major routes would have to operate seven days a week, or remove road restrictions when no work was taking place. Those working on major routes would operate seven days a week, or remove road restrictions when work was halted.
The transport secretary said the plans offered "welcome relief" for drivers. The trade association for utility firms said any solution must "balance all the conflicting priorities".
Patrick McLoughlin said: "Roadworks can be essential but that doesn't mean they should be in place any longer than is absolutely necessary. Outlining the plans, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said some roadworks were essential but "that doesn't mean they should be in place any longer than is absolutely necessary.
'Common sense measures'
"These common sense measures will be a welcome relief to those trying to get from A to B on our local roads.""These common sense measures will be a welcome relief to those trying to get from A to B on our local roads."
It is estimated there are about two million roadworks every year, with drivers losing millions of hours annually by being stuck in traffic. Penalties
Councils and utility companies would be fined for needlessly inconveniencing drivers by leaving roadworks in place over weekends when no-one is working on them. It is estimated there are about two million roadworks every year, with drivers losing millions of hours through being stuck in traffic.
Penalties could also be handed out to those who leave temporary traffic lights in place after work has finished. Councils and utility companies would be fined for needlessly inconveniencing drivers if they left roadworks in place over weekends when no work was being carried out.
Penalties could also be imposed on those who left temporary traffic lights in place after work had finished.
Daily fines of £5,000 are already in place for roadworks that overrun.Daily fines of £5,000 are already in place for roadworks that overrun.
The Department for Transport plans would apply only to A-roads, which are managed by local authorities.The Department for Transport plans would apply only to A-roads, which are managed by local authorities.
The National Joint Utilities Group - which represents utility companies and contractors - said: "Any solution needs to balance all the conflicting priorities, including reducing disruption, operational impacts, meeting customers' needs and keeping costs to a minimum.
"We will of course be reviewing the government's proposals in detail once they are available and responding to the consultation."
'Pay the price''Pay the price'
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "Road users see red when they come across sets of temporary traffic lights that are stopping traffic but there are no workmen in sight or the work has actually finished.Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "Road users see red when they come across sets of temporary traffic lights that are stopping traffic but there are no workmen in sight or the work has actually finished.
"Ministers can't stop utility companies digging up the roads but they can make firms pay the price if the work is not done swiftly and they do not tidy up after themselves.""Ministers can't stop utility companies digging up the roads but they can make firms pay the price if the work is not done swiftly and they do not tidy up after themselves."
Edmund King, president of the AA, said there had been "many false dawns" when it came to cutting the time it takes to complete roadworks.Edmund King, president of the AA, said there had been "many false dawns" when it came to cutting the time it takes to complete roadworks.
"Sometimes it is essential work, and the cones are there for safety reasons," he said."Sometimes it is essential work, and the cones are there for safety reasons," he said.
"I think the bigger problem is when one of the utilities has dug down into a trench, they've found a pipe is damaged and then they haven't got the parts [to fix it] so the roadworks are just coned off with no work going on, sometimes for several weeks."I think the bigger problem is when one of the utilities has dug down into a trench, they've found a pipe is damaged and then they haven't got the parts [to fix it] so the roadworks are just coned off with no work going on, sometimes for several weeks.
"And I think it's situations like that that the government wants to crack down on.""And I think it's situations like that that the government wants to crack down on."