Southampton City Council plans to introduce a lane rental scheme on some of its network, to help manage the impact of works and raise revenue to spend on its roads.
The Hampshire highway authority said its proposed scheme would allow it to charge for works conducted on the city’s busiest roads during peak hours in accordance with the Street Works (Charges for Occupation of the Highway) (England) Regulations 2012.
This aims to encourage 'highways and utility companies' to schedule work outside of peak hours, or adopt more efficient ways of working, reducing congestion, improving air quality and enhancing public transport reliability.
The council is currently consulting on the proposals with a closing date of 6 March and will consider responses before applying to the Department for Transport (DfT) for approval.
Eammon Keogh, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: ‘The council is seeking to introduce a Lane Rental Scheme to achieve an extra level of control of roadworks and street works taking place on the network.
‘The scheme will help reduce congestion from works on the busiest roads at the busiest times reducing the impact roadworks have on people’s journeys.
‘This will help with the commitment to Southampton’s Local Transport Plan and the Green City Plan, which aims to deliver a resilient city through a well-managed highway and a cleaner, greener, healthier and more sustainable city.’
In December, the DfT confirmed the previous government's plans for at least 50% of surplus lane rental funds to be reinvested into highway maintenance, alongside other measures to clamp down on disruptive street works.
The Department issued guidance to councils in 2018 following trials in Kent and London but it emerged last January that only two more councils had introduced schemes.
Southampton is among a small number of authorities to announce plans in the last year.
