Recommendations & Conclusions
7 items
2
Conclusion
2nd Report - Managing the impact of str…
Deferred
Leaving equipment or signs in place that imply to the public that street works are still ongoing when they have finished should attract a full overrun charge. (Recommendation, Paragraph 22)
Government response AI summary
The government agrees in principle that road closure signage should indicate the exact location but expresses concerns about potential safety risks. It commits to taking the recommendation away for further consideration with safety experts to balance clarity and safety.
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Department for Transport
8
Conclusion
2nd Report - Managing the impact of str…
Deferred
The current guarantee period of two or three years for reinstatements after works, the latter being for deep excavations, is too short given that reinstatements should last more than ten years if carried out correctly. The Department should increase the standard guarantee period for all excavations up to five years, …
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The current guarantee period of two or three years for reinstatements after works, the latter being for deep excavations, is too short given that reinstatements should last more than ten years if carried out correctly. The Department should increase the standard guarantee period for all excavations up to five years, as was considered in its 2019 consultation. Utility companies should also face fines for any secondary remedial work that is required to the road or pavement within five years, as a penalty for the unnecessary disruption caused. These policies combined would create a greater incentive for works to be completed by utility companies to the right standard and relieve some of the pressure on highway authorities, which in some cases have to repair poor reinstatements after just two years. (Recommendation, Paragraph 38)
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focused on monitoring the use of immediate permits and updating the Co-ordination Code of Practice for clarity, rather than addressing the recommended increase in guarantee periods for excavations or fines for remedial work.
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Department for Transport
9
Conclusion
2nd Report - Managing the impact of str…
Deferred
The process whereby authorities inspect reinstatements for defects after works are complete is not working as well as it should be, with weak incentives for utility companies to fix the defects promptly, or at all, once they have been found during an inspection. (Conclusion, Paragraph 44)
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The process whereby authorities inspect reinstatements for defects after works are complete is not working as well as it should be, with weak incentives for utility companies to fix the defects promptly, or at all, once they have been found during an inspection. (Conclusion, Paragraph 44)
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Government response AI summary
The government focused on the existing Street Manager platform's open data for street works and its use by third-party services, rather than addressing the problems with the inspection process for reinstatements or incentives for fixing defects.
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Department for Transport
10
Recommendation
2nd Report - Managing the impact of str…
Deferred
The Department should introduce timescales for companies to repair faulty reinstatements, with meaningfully increasing fines if they fail to do so on time. The fine should increase each time a deadline has not been met, and the company responsible should also pay the Department a sum equivalent to the cost …
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The Department should introduce timescales for companies to repair faulty reinstatements, with meaningfully increasing fines if they fail to do so on time. The fine should increase each time a deadline has not been met, and the company responsible should also pay the Department a sum equivalent to the cost of compliance after the first exceeded deadline. The two-cycle inspection cap should also be lifted so that there is no limit on the number of inspections which can be carried out. This would provide an ongoing financial incentive for a defective reinstatement to be fixed by the 32 company which created the issue, instead of expecting authorities to repair it themselves and charge the costs back to the company, which would end up nullifying the guarantee period. (Recommendation, Paragraph 45)
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for review regarding faulty reinstatements and commits to engaging with HAUC to understand if their position on the two-cycle inspection cap has changed or if new evidence warrants revisiting it, rather than directly committing to introduce timescales, increasing fines, or …
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Department for Transport
11
Conclusion
2nd Report - Managing the impact of str…
Deferred
The current dispute resolution process does not seem to be working well. Disagreements relating to the interpretation of street works legislation can end up as legal disputes which are resource intensive for authorities and utility companies alike. (Conclusion, Paragraph 53)
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The current dispute resolution process does not seem to be working well. Disagreements relating to the interpretation of street works legislation can end up as legal disputes which are resource intensive for authorities and utility companies alike. (Conclusion, Paragraph 53)
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged issues with coordinating street works for new housing developments and committed to exploring options with MHCLG to encourage early sharing of utility connection plans, but did not address the recommendation about improving the dispute resolution process for interpreting street works legislation.
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Department for Transport
12
Conclusion
2nd Report - Managing the impact of str…
Deferred
The Department for Transport should consider setting up a Street Works Commissioner in England to help ensure the consistent application and interpretation of legislation, provide an option for independent dispute resolution and monitor performance across the sector. This would provide clarity for the street works industry and help promote good …
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The Department for Transport should consider setting up a Street Works Commissioner in England to help ensure the consistent application and interpretation of legislation, provide an option for independent dispute resolution and monitor performance across the sector. This would provide clarity for the street works industry and help promote good practice. If the Department considers this approach too costly, it must identify and put in place an alternative approach to ensure that common areas of dispute can be resolved efficiently by an independent, central function whose decisions can be communicated and applied across the sector. (Recommendation, Paragraph 54) Managing disruption
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focused on lane rental schemes as a tool to reduce disruption from street works and mentioned publishing results of a consultation on devolving approval powers for these schemes, completely avoiding the recommendation for a Street Works Commissioner or alternative dispute resolution body.
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Department for Transport
13
Recommendation
2nd Report - Managing the impact of str…
Deferred
The Department for Transport should consult on amending guidance for permit schemes so that fees incentivise completion of works earlier than the period allowed for by a permit. (Recommendation, Paragraph 57)
Government response AI summary
The government states that the current legal framework already permits authorities to offer fee discounts for early completion of works and incentivise efficient practices. It commits to engaging with highway authorities to understand how these existing powers are being used and to identify if further …
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Department for Transport