Council to charge companies who dig up our busiest roads
11/11/2025
The government agreed to the ‘lane rental scheme’ at the end of October
by Esme Kenney, Local Democracy Reporter
Companies who dig up Oxfordshire’s busiest roads for repair works are set to face a daily charge from Oxfordshire County Council, as an incentive to finish roadworks quickly and reduce traffic disruption.
The Department for Transport gave permission for the council to introduce a lane rental scheme, which allows the county council to impose a charge per day of work on busy roads at peak times, on October 31.
It aims to encourage water, electricity, gas and broadband providers to prioritise working outside busy times and complete works as quickly as possible, to help minimise delays and congestion on the road network.
The scheme has already been introduced in London, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex.
Only 9 per cent of the county’s highways network would be deemed eligible for charges, and the council’s own roadworks will not be exempt.
Councillor Andrew Gant, cabinet member for transport management, said: “Whether as pedestrians, cyclists, motorists or nearby residents, we are all familiar with the frustration of the sudden arrival of utilities companies to dig up the roads and create severe problems on the network.
“The work is very often emergency-related and councils have no option to agree to it given that otherwise people’s homes and businesses would potentially be cut off from water, electricity or other essentials.
“However, it is in everyone’s interests for these utilities to minimise their impacts and a lane rental scheme is one such way.
“If they know they are going to be charged for the length of time they spend there, it is an incentive to complete the job as expeditiously as possible.”
Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, said: “Dug up roads, endless temporary traffic lights and delays, and road works that drag on and on.
“That’s what so many residents are currently putting up with across Oxford.
“It is fantastic news that companies will soon have to pay a daily charge for occupying our roads during the busiest times.
“This should encourage them to minimise disruption and work more efficiently to get the necessary works done as swiftly as possible.
“I am looking forward to hearing the full details of the scheme, and I will push for strong enforcement of these new measures from day one.”
Only 9 per cent of the county’s highways network would be deemed eligible for charges, and the council’s own roadworks will not be exempt.
Any income raised by the scheme must be invested back into improving management of the highways network.
The council receives around 30,000 requests for permits for road and street works per year.
The county council requested the power to introduce a lane rental scheme in June 2023.
The Department for Transport will announce the start date for the scheme in due course, and the specific details of the scheme, such as how much will be charge per day, are yet to be determined.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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