UK lane rental schemes set to go nationwide to help reduce congestion

UK lane rental schemes, where utility companies can be charged up to £2,500 ($3,499) each day for digging up the busiest roads at peak times, can be adopted by councils as part of a government approved strategy to help reduce congestion. The announcement follows successful trials conducted in London and Kent. This scheme aims to incentivise firms to work on quieter roads or outside of rush hour as well as collaborate with other companies to prevent roads from being dug up multiple times. Around 2.5 mi
February 20, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
UK lane rental schemes, where utility companies can be charged up to £2,500 ($3,499) each day for digging up the busiest roads at peak times, can be adopted by councils as part of a government approved strategy to help reduce congestion. The announcement follows successful trials conducted in London and Kent.


This scheme aims to incentivise firms to work on quieter roads or outside of rush hour as well as collaborate with other companies to prevent roads from being dug up multiple times.

Around 2.5 million roadworks are carried out each year, costing the economy £4bn ($5.5bn) in increased costs to businesses through late employees or deliveries.

The 1837 Department for Transport will provide guidance in the autumn to help councils develop lane rental schemes for approval. Initial schemes could start by the end of 2019.

Jo Johnson, transport minister, said: “Drivers often see red when roadworks cause them delays, especially if no one is working on them. Lane rental has seen a massive drop in disruption to drivers as utility companies have changed when and where they carry out work. Now we want millions of motorists around England to get the same benefits.

“The Department for Transport carried out a consultation into the scheme last year, and the majority of those responding supported its rollout nationwide. Many said they wanted to take advantage of the ‘clear benefits’ of lane rental schemes.”

Mike Cherry, Federation of Small Businesses, national chairman, responding to the announcement, said: “Congestion on roads is an ongoing and frustrating concern for those that run and work for small businesses and their customers.

"Our own research shows 45% of small firms identify congestion on local roads as their top transport concern, while 31% said frequent roadworks are a major issue affecting their business, in particular the length of time taken to complete the work.

“Getting stuck in traffic costs valuable time and money, so a plan that cuts down on this is a welcome one.”

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ‘Abolish the DfT,’ says UK Transport Systems Catapult boss
    March 21, 2019
    Radical steps to improve travellers’ experience of transport in the UK were proposed at ITS International’s MaaS Market conference in London this week. In the keynote speech on day one of the two-day event, UK Transport Systems Catapult CEO Paul Campion said that the public doesn’t really care about transport – all they really want is to get where they are going. “It’s a necessary evil,” he told delegates. “We travel to come to work, to a conference, to take the kids to school – it’s a distress purcha
    Read More
  • Timing is everything for EV charging
    January 23, 2020
    Electric vehicles are often promoted as a more sustainable alternative to diesel and petrol cars - but their arrival raises concerns about the strain which charging will put on the grid.
    Read More
  • Transport for West Midlands and Whim set to pioneer MaaS in the UK
    December 16, 2016
    The West Midlands region in the UK is to pilot Mobility as Service (MaaS) to its residents. The service, Whim by Finnish MaaS operator MaaS Global, will be launched in the West Midlands metropolitan area in early 2017. The launch follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), transport service providers National Express and SilverRail, Birmingham City Council and MaaS Global. Other transport companies will be welcomed onboard the Whim service in the future. Th
    Read More
  • London launches new team to crack down on congestion
    November 30, 2015
    A new team of Road and Transport Enforcement Officers is being deployed to key traffic routes across London to crack down on illegal or inconsiderate behaviour and other problems that cause congestion. The new 40-strong Transport for London (TfL) team, which will rise to 80 by next spring, will help deal with problems such as illegal stopping or unloading of deliveries, which can cause delays to drivers and bus passengers. It will work closely with the TfL-funded Metropolitan Police Roads and Transpo
    Read More

Highlighted Content