Councils to be allowed to charge for road closures

[Raptor]

Councils in England would be allowed to charge utility companies by the hour for roadworks which cause significant disruption, if government proposals are approved.
The plan aims to halve the delays motorists endure due to utility works.
Roadworks cost the economy £4bn a year due to delayed deliveries and people being unable to get to work on time.
The proposals follow successful trials in London and Kent which saw severe congestion fall by more than 50%.
'Lane rental'

The charges aim to encourage utility companies to avoid busy routes and times, and to work together to avoid repeatedly digging up the same piece of road.
The London trial saw firms co-ordinate their roadworks more than 600 times.
Companies could avoid the charges, also known as lane rental schemes, by carrying out works in the evening or at weekends.
Councils currently issue permits for roadworks, but the government believes the new scheme would give them greater control and monitoring powers.
'Increased costs'

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "Delays caused by roadworks can be the bane of drivers' lives - especially when they take place at rush hour on busy routes.
"These proposals would give councils greater powers to ensure utility companies avoid carrying out works at the busiest times and on the most popular routes.
"This would not only improve journeys and cut congestion but also save businesses from the increased costs they incur as a result of traffic on our roads," Mr Grayling said.
The rollout is part of a government plan to give councils more ways to manage roadworks, with the aim to support the delivery of wider national infrastructure projects.
'Consistent and proportionate'

Bob Gallienne, chief executive of the National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG), has criticised the proposals.
In a statement, he said: "Utilities companies are delivering the infrastructure that the UK needs to drive up productivity, create economic growth and deliver on government's priorities such as broadband and new homes.
"Lane rental schemes make it harder for utilities companies to deliver vital infrastructure and value for money for consumers while minimising disruption.
"This consultation is a chance to explore how disruption can be reduced for road users at the same time as minimising the policy burden on utilities companies.
"NJUG is currently working with a range of stakeholders to develop a Future Strategy for Street Works, setting out a blueprint for delivering world class street works."
The president of the AA, Edmund King, said: "Lane rental is a positive step.
"We hope that collaboration and cooperative work plans between service providers will now be standard practice.
"One issue that we hope is resolved with lane rental is making sure that whoever digs up the road returns it back in a good state.
"It wouldn't be acceptable for the road to be patched up quickly and poorly, just to try and keep within their rental period."
The consultation on the proposals will last for eight weeks and the changes would come into effect by 2019.
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[DJ OD]

Helps Joe public in no fucking way...

Still have shit roads fucking up your car.


DJ OD

[Rick Sanchez]

We need to reduce car numbers in the UK

[crazyal]

What we need to do is get pensioners to stop driving. Fucking 23MPH everywhere they go. That will sort out a huge chunk.

[piggzy]

What we need to do is get pensioners to stop driving. Fucking 23MPH everywhere they go. That will sort out a huge chunk.

Got stuck behind one yesterday doing exactly 20mph. No opportunities to over take and was like this for about 4 or 5 miles ... veins on my neck were ready to burst.

[beerman]

What we need to do is get pensioners to stop driving. Fucking 23MPH everywhere they go. That will sort out a huge chunk.

I really think we need a retest at 65 and one every year or two after that.

[Bald Bouncer]

I really think we need a retest at 65 and one every year or two after that.

I say we retest age 17-24 every year considering 22% of fatalities on GB's roads in 2011 occurred in collisions involving a driver aged 17 to 24 years old, in 65% of these collisions the fatal injuries were sustained by passengers or road users other than the young drivers so I would rather be stuck behind someone going slow than being crippled or killed by some moron who thinks he's Lewis Hamilton.

Sick of these fucking morons gambling with my life overtaking on blind bends etc and I am far from a slow driver.

[crazyal]

So we are agreed. We kick off the roads the very young and the very old drivers. Gets my vote.

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[Over Carl]

What we need to do is get pensioners to stop driving. Fucking 23MPH everywhere they go. That will sort out a huge chunk.

Round here it's a 20mph limit, pensioners or not

[crazyal]

Not good chap [emoji35]

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[DJ OD]

I say we retest age 17-24 every year considering 22% of fatalities on GB's roads in 2011 occurred in collisions involving a driver aged 17 to 24 years old, in 65% of these collisions the fatal injuries were sustained by passengers or road users other than the young drivers so I would rather be stuck behind someone going slow than being crippled or killed by some moron who thinks he's Lewis Hamilton.

Sick of these fucking morons gambling with my life overtaking on blind bends etc and I am far from a slow driver.

I'd be happy with anyone under 25 being unable to drive at all.


Grumpy old DJ OD

[consoles]

I say we retest age 17-24 every year considering 22% of fatalities on GB's roads in 2011 occurred in collisions involving a driver aged 17 to 24 years old, in 65% of these collisions the fatal injuries were sustained by passengers or road users other than the young drivers so I would rather be stuck behind someone going slow than being crippled or killed by some moron who thinks he's Lewis Hamilton.

Sick of these fucking morons gambling with my life overtaking on blind bends etc and I am far from a slow driver.

Not so much a retest, but zero fucking tolerance on points not 6 until they are 25, I was the same at that age driving everywhere like i had to be there yesterday.