New Forest roadworks charges of up to £2,500 a day proposed
- Safer Highways
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Plans to introduce charges of up to £2,500 per day for roadworks disruption on major New Forest routes are set to be submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) for approval.
The proposed “lane rental” scheme, put forward by Hampshire County Council, aims to reduce congestion by encouraging utility companies and contractors to complete roadworks more quickly and avoid working during peak traffic periods.
If approved, the scheme could generate around £1.6 million annually in net income, with funds reinvested into reducing disruption and maintaining the highway network.
Under the scheme, companies carrying out works on these routes could be charged:
Up to £2,500 per day for full road closures
Up to £1,500 per day for lane closures or temporary traffic lights
These are the maximum charges allowed under current government legislation, which has been in place since 2012.
Revenue and costs
Based on roadworks data from the past three financial years, the scheme is forecast to generate:
£2.8 million per year in gross income
£1.2 million in running costs
This would leave approximately £1.6 million available each year.
The council said the money would be ring-fenced to cover the scheme’s operational costs and fund projects that reduce congestion caused by roadworks.
Funding could also contribute to highway maintenance, including pothole repairs, despite previous guidance suggesting lane rental income should not be used for that purpose.
Encouraging behavioural change
Council officials stress that the main aim of the scheme is not to raise revenue, but to encourage better planning of works on busy routes.
Charges would apply only during peak traffic periods, with exemptions outside these times.
Assistant director Tim Lawton told councillors he had “high confidence” that the proposal meets the required government criteria.
Councillor Kirsty North noted that the maximum daily charges available to councils have not increased since the legislation was introduced more than a decade ago.
Meanwhile, Cllr Lulu Bowerman, the council’s highways chief, welcomed the proposal.
She said:“We all have personal experience of congestion on our networks and roads. To have some form of control on certain roads in the county would be fantastic.
“This is about encouraging behavioural change with the utility companies and anyone doing works on our networks.”
If the Department for Transport approves the scheme, it could be introduced later this year.