UK to penalise rush hour road works

The UK, which loses an estimated $6.6 billion annually due to traffic congestion caused by road repair works, plans to charge companies that carry out utility repair works during the peak traffic hours on roads, especially the busiest roads. The measure will be implemented under a proposed ‘lane rental’ scheme, under which city councils could charge utility companies ‘rent’ for using the road for repair works. While utility companies would be able to avoid this rental if they carry out the work during off peak or quieter hours, or at night, at other times the rentals would be proportional to the congestion costs caused by the repair works, subject to a maximum of $4,140 per day. Revenue raised from the lane rental scheme would be used for funding measures to reduce the disruption of traffic due to road works and research to develop such measures.