MPs Call for National Street Works Commissioner to Curb Disruption on UK Roads

A powerful new call has been made for local authorities to gain stronger powers to tackle the widespread disruption caused by street works, with MPs urging the creation of a national Street Works Commissioner to oversee improvements.

In a landmark report published by the cross-party Transport Select Committee, MPs said local authorities face significant challenges in managing and coordinating roadworks carried out by utility companies. The report highlights “overwhelming evidence” that councils lack the necessary tools to enforce compliance or penalise poor performance under the current regulatory system.

Key Proposals to Tackle Street Works Disruption

The committee’s report outlines a series of key reforms aimed at transforming how street works are regulated and executed across England. These include:

• Extending the reinstatement guarantee period from the current two years (or three for deep excavations) to five years, encouraging longer-lasting repairs.

• Stricter control over ‘immediate’ permits, to reduce misuse by utility firms claiming emergency access unnecessarily.

• Greater devolution of lane rental schemes, allowing local authorities to implement them without the need for secretary of state approval.

• Mandatory data-sharing by utility companies, improving coordination and enabling better long-term planning.

• Establishing a new Street Works Commissioner, modelled on the devolved Scottish Road Works Commissioner, to provide national oversight and accountability.

  
  

A Stronger Framework for Collaboration and Efficiency

The proposed changes aim to raise the standard of reinstatement works, reduce the number of unnecessary road closures, and encourage greater efficiency from utility companies. Lane rental schemes would provide financial motivation for completing works on time, while improved coordination and earlier notification could prevent multiple excavations of the same road or simultaneous disruptions within one area.

A National Problem in Need of Urgent Reform

Between April 2023 and March 2024, over 2.2 million street and road works were carried out across England. With more than 200 statutory undertakers legally entitled to dig up roads, local authorities are increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer volume and lack of coordination.

The proposed reforms aim to address these challenges head-on, rebalancing responsibilities and ensuring smoother delivery of essential infrastructure works—without sacrificing the condition and reliability of the UK’s road network.