Select committee: Transport Committee
Recommendation 14
2nd Report - Managing the impact of street works
Published 3 Jul 2025
Addressed to Department for Transport
Transport Committee Managing the impact of street works All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Immediate urgent and immediate emergency permits are an essential tool, but they should be used in situations when there is a genuine need or plan to urgently fix a problem. The Department for Transport should consult on how the use and definition of urgent works could be amended to prevent the use of these permits for works which are known about by utility companies well in advance or do not require instant attention, such as a low level waterpipe leak. Options could include introducing a new category of immediate permit which accommodates work to maintain the supply of a service but is not going to be fixed immediately, or reforming immediate permits so that the level of advance warning required is linked to the severity of disruption. The Department should consider whether fines could also be used against companies which are found to have misused immediate permits. (Recommendation, Paragraph 64)
From: Transport Committee, 2nd Report - Managing the impact of street works (HC 522), 3 July 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 12 September 2025 (deadline 3 September 2025).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government says it "welcomes" the Committee's report and responds to each recommendation, generally agreeing with the aims while mostly favouring review, evaluation and engagement with industry over the specific changes proposed.
- On overrun charges for leaving signs in place, it agrees that doing so "can cause unnecessary disruption" but says a full charge "may not always be appropriate in every circumstance". It will review whether the £100 reduced charge "remains proportionate and effective".
- On reinstatement guarantee periods, it says it is right to evaluate the 2023 performance-based inspections regime "before considering the need for further changes", and will evaluate it "next year".
- On a Street Works Commissioner, it says a new arm's length body "appears inconsistent" with its review of such bodies, but it remains "open to exploring ways to improve the existing system" and will engage with HAUC (UK).
- On lane rental, it says extending powers universally could lead to "an inconsistent and fragmented approach". It consulted on devolving approval powers to Mayoral Combined Authorities and will publish results and next steps "in due course".