Bristol utility firms could be charged for roadwork delays

Utility firms would be charged a daily fee in a bid to speed up repairs and reduce delays

Utility companies could be charged a daily fee for repair delays to combat congestion in a city.

Bristol City Council could be introducing the new lane rental scheme to try and provide a "financial incentive" to speed up roadworks.

It is hoped this will reduce traffic congestion, with successful pilots being carried out in London and Kent.

Details of how the scheme would work are expected this summer following a feasibility study by council bosses.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the scheme would affect companies responsible for repairing the complex underground network of pipes and wires which carry gas, electricity, water, sewage and broadband.

At the moment, firms pay a "single small sum" to receive a temporary traffic regulation order, which lasts for 18 months.

Councillors in Bristol believe this provides no incentive to get repairs done quickly.

During a member forum meeting on 9 January, Cllr Steve Smith said: "Lane rental schemes are a proven, very effective tool for reducing congestion caused by works undertaken by utility companies.

"This is because it provides a clear financial incentive for them to expedite matters," he continued.

The current guidance suggests just five per cent of roads within a council area's road network would be subject to pay lane rental fees during roadworks.

However, this figure could be set to increase as the Department for Transport (DfT) revisits its guidance on lane rentals.

When asked about lane rental schemes, Labour mayor Marvin Rees warned that any future proposals for a tram network would mean extensive roadworks.Mr Rees said: "If we're concerned about roadworks, then please cast your mind forward to an overground segregated mass transit system, and the level of roadworks that accompany that in some of the densest parts of the city, including in our main arterial roads.

"It's a level of intervention that just doesn't bear thinking about," he added.

The council will have to wait until at least next year before applying to the government to introduce a scheme.