Utility companies could be charged £2,500 for roadworks in BCP area
Roadwork disruption across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole could be halved under new plans from BCP Council to charge utility firms up to £2,500 for works on busy routes
Road disruption across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole could be cut in half under new plans to charge utility companies up to £2,500 a day for carrying out works on the busiest routes.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council is seeking approval to introduce a ‘lane rental scheme’ covering more than 100 roads, which is around 9.9% of the area’s total road network.
The proposal would see contractors and utility providers charged for occupying key sections of road during peak times,
Under the scheme, roads would be divided into four charging bands depending on the type and scale of disruption caused.
Band one would apply to full road closures and single lane blockages, while band two would cover all carriageway remedial works. Both would carry a daily charge of £2,500.
Band three, covering single lane occupancy on dual carriageways, would cost £2,000 per day.
Meanwhile, band four relates to works on cycle lanes and would incur a £1,500 daily fee.
BCP Council hopes this will encourage work to take place during quieter periods and therefore reduce congestion.
Speaking at a Transport Advisory Group, transport network manager Richard Pearson said the council expects significant improvements if the scheme is approved.
“The interim position which was considered was that we’ll introduce this scheme and it will result in a halving of roadworks on the defined network,” he said.
The scheme is projected to generate around £2.3m per year. Of that, approximately £450,000 would come from the council’s own maintenance and improvement works, with utility companies expected to contribute around £1.85m.
Mr Pearson added that half of the net surplus raised through the scheme would be reinvested into highway maintenance.
Lane rental schemes are already operating in other parts of the country, with local authorities saying they incentivise better planning and quicker completion of works.
BCP Council is aiming to submit its proposals to the Department for Transport by the end of March.
If approved, members were told the scheme could take up to 12 months to implement.