Ministers question benefits of London permit scheme

08 October 2008

The Government has questioned whether the London permit scheme for increasing control over street and road works ‘is likely to deliver worthwhile benefits’.

As Surveyor went to press, the London traffic authorities which applied to run a permit scheme – 14 London boroughs and Transport for London – were seeking clarification over questions that Department for Transport officials have asked about their application.

London mayor, Boris Johnson, meanwhile, condemned the Government for ‘shilly-shallying around and delaying the scheme’. He hoped officials would agree to move the scheme forward at the meeting the boroughs and TfL have secured with the DfT this Friday (10). He wanted permits to be applied from March, given that delays to traffic had been increasing.

The National Joint Utilities Group applauded the delay, claiming it represented an opportunity ‘to ensure the permit scheme is workable and effective’. The boroughs and TfL had expected the DfT to give a view on their July application within three weeks.

But, without warning, according to TfL, the department last month said it had to reject the application as it currently stood, and asked for more information. A spokesperson for one of the boroughs told Surveyor: ‘We are not particularly clear about those questions. We hope to know more following the meeting.’

NJUG claimed the applicants had ‘failed to demonstrate that there would be any reduction in congestion,’ as it appeared the DfT suspected. The scheme, therefore, ‘threatened to add to household utility bills at a very challenging time, without any benefit’.

TfL’s transport commissioner, Peter Hendy, last week advised the mayor that lessons which could be learned from Kent County Council’s revised application would be considered. Kent scaled back its plans so that permits would only be applied to traffic-sensitive streets following criticism from utilities (Surveyor, 21 August).

However, Hendy told the mayor that ‘Kent’s approach to utilities would be unacceptable in London’. Local highway authorities around the country are waiting for the DfT’s response to the London application before proceeding with their applications. A DfT spokeswoman said: ‘This Government introduced legislation for permit schemes to give local authorities greater control over works so they can minimise disruption. ‘However, it is our job to make sure that schemes meets the tests set out in the legislation.’

The DfT wants a fresh application to be made. TfL estimates that, given the requirement to re-consult and produce a new cost/benefit analysis, secretary of state approval might not be forthcoming until April 2010. Any later, and the decision might be made by a new government.

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