Govt takes action to reduce disruption from roadworks

The government has taken action to reduce the amount of disruption caused by roadworks by allowing councils to charge companies extra if they are going make alterations on busy streets at peak times.

Norman Baker, Transport Minister, said: "It is incredibly frustrating to find vital roads being dug up in the middle of the rush hour or, even worse, traffic lanes closed when no one is even carrying out any work."

The new scheme permits local authorities to charge lane rental to utility companies of up to £2,500 per day and will first be rolled out at three pilot councils - one of them metropolitan.

It is hoped the measures will provide incentives for firms that need to dig up roads to work quickly and at low-traffic times.

The government recently funded 37 3D scanners for Britain's motorways, which it said could allow investigators to assess the scene of a car accident quickly and clear the road sooner than is currently possible, reducing traffic jams.

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