Lambeth is the latest council to be given the green light by the Department for Transport (DfT) to implement a Lane Rental Scheme, enabling the borough to charge companies for carrying out roadworks during traffic-sensitive times.
With Oxfordshire, North Yorkshire and Merton councils also receiving approval for lane rental schemes recently, Lambeth is set to be one of the first London boroughs to enact the scheme, which aims to reduce disruption by incentivising organisations like utility companies to carry out works when roads are less busy.
From April, the council will be able charge up to £2,500 per day to work on selected traffic-sensitive streets and up to £350 a day for work on selected footways.
'A proportion of surplus charges under the scheme will be put back into highway maintenance work, including repairing potholes and making improvements on Lambeth roads,' the council said.
The authority is also working with Transport for London (TfL) on a Bus Priority Corridor programme, focusing on roads where bus journeys are typically below the average speed targets set out by London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.
The Mayor's Bus action plan aims for a network of key bus corridors in central London to deliver reliable average speeds of 10 to 13mph. The target is to increase average bus speeds by 10% by 2030 to encourage more people to use public transport.
Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Lambeth's deputy leader, said: 'Roadworks at peak times can cause huge disruption and congestion, our Lane Rental Scheme will tackle this by encouraging companies to carry out works at times that have the least impact on our residents and businesses.
'Buses are an essential service, especially in areas of the borough that other public transport doesn't reach, and we share the Mayor's commitment to get buses moving faster across the city.
'Our new priority corridors will create a safer and more welcoming environment – not just for bus passengers, but also for people walking, wheeling and cycling on these vital routes.'
This month, the council is launching initial engagement with local communities in West Norwood (Norwood Road and the A215) and Acre Lane on how bus journey speeds can be improved, with engagement to come on six further priority corridors.
