Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
2nd Report - Managing the impact of street works
Transport Committee
HC 522
Published 3 July 2025
Recommendations
10
Deferred
Introduce timescales, escalating fines for faulty reinstatements, and lift the two-cycle inspection cap.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response 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 lifting the cap.
Department for Transport
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13
Deferred
Consult on amending permit scheme guidance to incentivise earlier completion of street works.
Recommendation
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 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 amendments to guidance are required, rather than directly consulting on amendments as recommended.
Department for Transport
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14
Rejected
Consult on amending urgent works permit definitions and introducing fines for permit misuse.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
The government recognises the importance of appropriate permit use but states its review of data found no evidence of widespread misuse of immediate permits. It will not consult on amending the definition or introduce fines as recommended, but will work with HAUC to update the Co-ordination Code of Practice to provide greater clarity on when immediate permits should be used.
Department for Transport
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15
Rejected
Mandate utility companies to share upcoming work plans earlier, improving coordination with authorities.
Recommendation
Collaboration and coordination of works between utility companies and local authorities relies on sharing information on upcoming works well in advance. There are currently no requirements on utility companies to share plans for their upcoming work with local authorities. The …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees that early information sharing is essential but does not accept the recommendation to introduce mandatory requirements for utility companies to share long-term plans, citing existing tools and commercial sensitivity concerns. It will, however, work with the sector to explore wider adoption of best practices.
Department for Transport
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16
Accepted
Support development and promotion of apps using accurate open-source data on street works.
Recommendation
Up-to-date information on local street works is essential for the public, whether residents or road users. The Department should support the development and promotion of apps which make use of open source data, and ensure that the data is accurate, …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees that up-to-date information is essential and states it already provides open data from the Street Manager platform for use by third-party developers, with over 170 organisations actively using it. It will continue to engage with the tech sector and focus on ensuring data quality, but does not believe the government needs to develop or actively promote apps itself given the existing market.
Department for Transport
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17
Accepted
Ensure early notification and coordinated planning of utility connections for new housing developments.
Recommendation
Coordination of street works for new housing developments is not happening as often as it should. The Department for Transport should work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on how best to ensure that authorities are notified …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees there is scope to improve coordination for new housing developments and commits to working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to explore options for encouraging early sharing of utility connection plans by developers and utility companies.
Department for Transport
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18
Rejected
Encourage and support more local authorities to implement lane rental schemes without Secretary of State approval.
Recommendation
Lane rental schemes have worked well and can be a useful tool for authorities to manage disruption on their busiest stretches of roads. The Department for Transport should go further to encourage and support more local authorities to set up …
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Government Response Summary
The government rejects allowing all local authorities to set up lane rental schemes without Secretary of State approval, citing risks of inconsistency, fragmentation, and potential cost increases for consumers. However, it notes it has consulted on devolving approval powers specifically to Mayoral Combined Authorities and will publish results in due course.
Department for Transport
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Conclusions (11)
1
Conclusion
Accepted
Street works are essential for many of the services we rely upon, such as running water, energy and internet access, but they can cause widespread issues for road and pavement users alike. Street works can disrupt people’s journeys, including through congestion, delays and road closures which affect drivers, cyclists and …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges issues with street works and states that provisions already exist to address them, including regulations for charges on prolonged occupation of the highway. It notes that charges will apply to weekends and bank holidays from December 2024, aiming to encourage best practice and proportionate enforcement.
2
Conclusion
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 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.
3
Conclusion
Accepted
All road closure signage should specify exactly where the road closure is. When immediate permits are issued, this should be done as soon as reasonably practicable. (Recommendation, Paragraph 23)
Government Response Summary
The government is undertaking an ongoing update to the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice, collaborating with devolved governments and stakeholders. It is preparing to launch a consultation outlining specific changes to improve accessibility during street works, incorporating DPTAC advice, with further improvements to be included based on consultation feedback.
4
Conclusion
Accepted
In our report about accessibility in transport, we asked for more transparency about the impact that the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) has on the Department’s decision-making. This is important for providing assurance that policy processes in respect of accessibility have been robust and meaningful. It was disappointing that …
Government Response Summary
The government details a performance-based inspection regime introduced in 2023 for utility companies, which links inspection rates to defect performance. It commits to evaluating the effectiveness of this regime next year and will work with the Scottish government to understand their extended guarantee period for reinstatements.
5
Conclusion
Accepted
We ask the Department to set out specific changes that have been made to the new Safety Code of Practice to improve accessibility during street works and how advice from DPTAC has been incorporated. (Recommendation, Paragraph 28) 31 Managing the impact on roads and pavements
Government Response Summary
The government commits to engaging with HAUC to review the existing two-cycle inspection cap, to understand if changes are needed due to evolving operational challenges or new evidence. The aim is to ensure the regulatory framework supports timely and cost-effective repairs and improves reinstatement quality.
6
Conclusion
Acknowledged
It was disappointing to hear that, having said in 2019 that further investigation was needed into the financial impacts of increasing the guarantee period, the Department has not undertaken any further work on the issues. This is an inefficient use of a resource-intensive consultation process. (Conclusion, Paragraph 36)
Government Response Summary
The government outlines the current oversight and dispute resolution framework for street works in England and commits to engaging with HAUC (UK) to understand if existing processes for dispute resolution, performance monitoring, and legislative application could be enhanced. It also states it will continue to engage with the Scottish government regarding their Road Works Commissioner.
7
Conclusion
Accepted
Local authority budgets for road maintenance are stretched thin; they can ill afford the expense of making good reinstatements which are not up to scratch. We note the concern about increasing costs being reflected in utility bills, but there is a balance to be struck: good quality road and pavement …
Government Response Summary
The government highlights existing legal frameworks that allow permit scheme fee discounts to incentivise efficient street works and early completion. It commits to engaging with highway authorities to understand how these powers are being used, identify any implementation barriers, and determine if further guidance amendments are needed to ensure consistent and effective use of fee incentives.
8
Conclusion
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, …
Government Response 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.
9
Conclusion
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)
Government Response 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.
11
Conclusion
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)
Government Response 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.
12
Conclusion
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 …
Government Response 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.