Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to encourage the wider use of lane rental schemes, as introduced in London in 2012.

We are determined to deliver better journeys for drivers and cut congestion. Lane rental enables councils to charge utilities companies for carrying out works on the busiest roads at the busiest times, to encourage them to keep disruption to a minimum on the local road network.

Regulations and guidance were introduced in 2012 and led to the introduction of pioneer schemes by Transport for London in 2012 and Kent County Council in 2013. Charges were also applied under these schemes to the highway authority’s own maintenance works. The Department for Transport published an independent evaluation of the schemes in March 2016, which is attached for ease.

The report is being used by the Department alongside other information to formulate options for the future of lane rental schemes. These are likely to be subject to consultation during 2017.