Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the statutory obligation to compensate small businesses for loss of revenue due to works by utility companies.

It is a long established principle that traders have no right to any particular level of passing trade and there are no legal grounds for them to claim for loss of such trade as a result of street works or road works. Works do need to take place from time to time and many businesses will benefit from the resulting improvements. Authorities and utilities should endeavour to ensure that works are undertaken as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to keep disruption to a minimum.