Local authorities should be given new powers to limit the disruption and congestion caused by street works, overseen by a national 'street works commissioner', influential MPs have said.

The cross-party Transport Select Committee said it had heard 'overwhelming evidence from local authorities that the current regulatory regime leaves them ill-equipped to monitor and coordinate utility companies’ street works, or to penalise companies that behave badly'.

In response, its latest report calls for a range of measures that could reshape the often contentious relationship between councils and utility companies.

The key recommendations were:

• Extend the reinstatement guarantee period from two years, or three for deeper excavations, to five years
• Tighten the use of 'immediate' permits to prevent misuse
• Greater devolution of lane rental schemes without secretary of state approval
• Require utilities to share more information to support longer-term planning
• Create a new street works commissioner, similar to the devolved role of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner.

Transport Committee chair Ruth Cadbury said: 'Our report sets out a shopping list of small changes that could make a huge difference, sharpening the teeth of the regulations that already exist while also providing incentives for utility companies to work efficiently and coordinate their work with councils.

'Upping the quality of reinstatement works will help stem the never-ending plague of potholes on local roads. Lane rental schemes should provide a financial incentive to complete works on time. And longer-term planning and earlier notification should help councils prevent the infuriating occurrence of multiple roads being closed in one locality, or the same road being dug up multiple times in one year.'

Around 2.2 million street and road works were carried out in England between April 2023 and March 2024.

Over 200 organisations have the right to dig up roads - known as statutory undertakers.

This article was originally published by Highways.

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