MP calls for new Roadworks Bill to fine utility firms for causing gridlock with roadworks

Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mark Francois has put forward a new Roadworks Bill where he wants local councils to be able to block roadworks and issue bigger fines if roadworks are not on schedule.

He said that councils across the country should be able to charge a lane rental fee to utility and construction companies due to many of them showing 'a lack of any palpable sense of urgency whatever to get the job done, regardless of the inconvenience which is caused to the travelling public.'.

In a speech to the House of Commons on Monday 4th November, Francois said that the proposed bill would give town and city councils new rights to refuse roadworks if they believe it will cause 'unacceptable disruption' to drivers and other road users.

Francois stated: “Let us collectively ‘can the cones’ and keep the traffic flowing as much as we practically can.”

The former local government minister’s plan includes a ‘three-pronged strategy’ that can be applied by councils.

The aim is to ease congestion and reduce the amount of time that drivers spend in traffic caused by delayed roadworks.

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First of all, local highways authorities would be given more powers to control who would be given permits to carry out roadworks.

The proposed bill would also allow the authorities to refuse on the grounds of 'unacceptable disruption' for drivers.

Also, the bill would 'mandate highway authorities to take all practicable steps to deconflict roadworks in their areas' with the aim of preventing multiple roadworks in nearby neighbourhoods.

Finally, the bill would also change the penalty system for roadworks that are overrunning and unnecessarily delaying drivers.

According to Francois, the current fines “are hardly likely to be a deterrent to major utility companies or housing developers, some of whom just accept them on the rare occasions they're actually levied as a cost of doing business.”

He continued: "The Bill would significantly increase the penalties for overrunning beyond the schedule agreed when the permit was first granted.

“Persistent offenders could be fined up to 10% of their annual corporate turnover which should make even the most high-handed company sit up and listen.

“Another related solution is lane rental, whereby companies must pay per day to carry out roadworks.

“This gives them a clear financial incentive to be efficient but at present it only applies to a very limited number of selected roads.”

Conservative Francois received support from Labour’s current roads minister Lilian Greenwood for the proposed bill.

The proposed Roadworks Bill will come before MPs on July 11th 2025.