Surrey County Council, along with National Highways and six major utility providers, has called on the Department for Transport (DfT) to make changes to systems and processes to reduce the negative impact of emergency utility works across the county.
Last year, Surrey County Council established a critical new task force to drive better coordination and communication of works across Surrey’s road network.
In a letter to the DfT, members of the task force (Surrey County Council, National Highways, Cadent Gas, Scottish and Southern Energy, Affinity Water, SES Water, Southeast Water and Virgin Media) have put forward a recommendation to allow for changes to the digital service used in England by local highway authorities, utility companies, and their contractors to manage street and road works, so that for works where it is possible, advanced warning of emergency roadworks can be shared with local network management teams prior to commencing.
This would enable local communities to be forewarned, and for the works to be coordinated wherever possible to reduce disruption on the network and deliver financial savings.
In addition to this recommendation, Surrey County Council in its role as the local highway authority, has proposed further improvements in legislation for street works to the Secretary of State for Transport including:
- Mandatory on-site signage for emergency works to explain delays and the lead agency to improve information for road users
- Prompter completion of works to reduce length of disruption and support economic productivity
- The introduction of an Independent Roadworks Commissioner and more powers for industry regulators to track street works compliance and performance
- Consideration of the impact on walkers and cyclists as well as car users
- Timely repairs to failing utility company frames and covers on the highway
Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said, “Utility companies’ demands in Surrey are amongst the top five highest in the UK with 88 works starting every day in the last twelve months. Whilst we recognise that works on the highway carried out by utility companies are necessary, these works are all too often impacting negatively on Surrey road users.
“We’re working with utility companies to drive better traffic management, better coordination, and better resident communication, and I’m pleased that they are supportive of our key proposals to improve the management of emergency works.
“We’ve also introduced a lane rental scheme where we charge organisations for the time their roadworks create delays on the highway during peak hours on busy roads, to encourage faster project completion and off-peak work schedules, to reduce disruption.
“I welcome the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry into the impact of street works and hope our proposals will help shape future reform for the benefit of Surrey’s residents, and beyond.”
More information on utility works is available here.
