Firms face charges for peak-time roadworks

Three West Yorkshire councils are to begin charging companies up to £2,500 a day to carry out roadworks on some of the region's busiest roads during peak times.

Leeds, Wakefield and Kirklees councils said the lane rental schemes were aimed at reducing disruption by encouraging organisations to carry out works at less busy times.

The authorities have secured Department for Transport approval and plan to launch the schemes later this year.

Leeds councillor Peter Carlill said the measure would encourage "better and more efficient behaviour" from those working on roads.

The councils said the schemes were designed to cut delays by encouraging companies to schedule works "outside peak hours, collaborate with other organisations and complete jobs more efficiently".

The three authorities said they had worked together to introduce a "consistent approach" to charging and were launching the schemes simultaneously.

They said the co-ordinated approach would make it easier for companies applying to carry out works and help address issues where "projects near council boundaries affect motorists travelling across more than one area".

As well as reducing congestion, the councils said the measures could help cut carbon emissions and improve the reliability of public transport services by protecting key bus routes.

Carlill, executive member for transport and planning, at Leeds City Council, said the scheme would give councils "more power and more options" to reduce disruption for residents.

Wakefield councillor Keith Anderson said roadworks caused "delays and disruption to drivers" and the power to levy charges should help "minimise that disruption".

He said a "more reliable and free-flowing road network" would make Wakefield "a better place to live and work".

Meanwhile, Kirklees councillor John Hardie said the scheme would provide councils with the tools needed to "incentivise better coordination, planning, and efficiency".

Any money raised from the charges would be reinvested into upgrading and maintaining roads, the councils said.

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