Permit plan to rein in utilities

29 November 2006

Rules requiring utility firms to pay to dig up the highway have gone out to public consultation.
The scheme will give highway authorities the power to issue permits to control when and where utilities can occupy the highway.
The second consultation on a permits scheme, published this week, aims to strengthen powers given to councils under the Traffic Management Act 2004. Under the scheme, an authority would issue a permit specifying the duration and, in some instances, the day and time that the work should take place.
The Department for Transport hopes the permits will make it easier to schedule works so more collaboration can take place, and even lead to different companies using the same hole in the road.
The proposed maximum fee for a permit will be £240, but the cost will be broadly based on the scale of the works and the predicted disruption.
All fees revenue will be used by an authority to run the permit scheme.
Ian Busby, highways service manager at Middlesbrough Metropolitan Borough Council, oversaw a trial of a ‘lane rental’ scheme in 2001. He said: ‘I supported both types of schemes, but the trial we ran did not work because the utilities did not play ball, and the DfT seems to have gone for permits instead.
‘I would compare permits with decriminalised parking – as long as authorities are not out-of-pocket running them, the schemes should work. One thing for sure is the scheme needs to have teeth, with heavy fines for companies which overrun.’
Chris Bates, principal engineer, also at Middlesbrough, attended the DfT workshops on setting the fee for permits.
He added: ‘I don’t think any authority will be put-of-pocket over the scheme. ‘We spent a lot of time trying to work out the costs and the meetings, but did not come up with a final figure, so I think the department has just gone for £240.’
The consultation will last until 26 February.

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