Local authorities will be able to accurately record and share data on roadworks, after the Government pledged to invest up to £10m in a new digital system.
Street Manager will generate real time data and enable drivers to plan their journeys and avoid roadworks. The data will be made free to technology companies and app developers, with the latest data being shared via stanavs and app 'push' notifications.
Roads minister, Jesse Norman, said: 'Roadworks can often be frustrating for motorists, especially when they cause hold-ups at busy times and delay journeys. We want to reduce this disruption and delay, and Street Manager is just one of a number of actions we are taking so that local authorities and utility companies can better plan and manage their roadworks.
'The data opened up by this new digital service should enable motorists to plan their journeys better, so they can avoid works and get to their destinations more easily.'
In response, Cllr Martin Tett, the LGA’s transport spokesman, said: 'Councils are on the side of frustrated motorists who find themselves spending wasted hours held up in tailbacks and already do what they can to minimise costs to road users.
'These initiatives will give road users more accurate information to plan their journeys and avoid delays where possible, and the extension of lane rental powers, long called for by councils, will give incentives to utilities to minimise disruption on the busiest roads throughout the country.'
