TfL warned new £2.5k daily charge to shut roads 'will push works into unsocial hours'

Street Works UK has warned Transport for London and Sir Sadiq Khan that residents living along 'red routes' could experience extra noise disruption later into the evening.

Transport for London's plan to charge utility firms up to £2,500-a-day to shut busy roads will push works into unsociable hours, an industry body has warned. Street Works UK, which represents energy, broadband and water companies claims TfL does not have "robust traffic data or clear evidence to support [the scheme's] introduction".

This year TfL will expand its lane rental scheme to 'red routes' - key connections which carry 30 per cent of London's total traffic - and to borough roads. Lambeth Council which was an early adopter of the scheme announced last week that it will be charging utility firms up to £2,500-a-day to work on selected traffic-sensitive streets from April, and up to £350 each day to work on selected footpaths.

The South London borough believes this move will incentivise utility firms to carry out works when roads are less busy. Merton, Camdenand Enfield have also had approval from the Department for Transport to go ahead with these schemes, with a further 22 boroughs in the process of applying.

Sir Sadiq Khan has backed the scheme as part of his efforts to tackle London's congestion problem and speed up bus journey times by 2030. Average speeds on the capital's bus network fell to 9.17mph in 2024–25, down from 10.27mph four years earlier, according to City Hall data. In August, the latest month available, buses were travelling at 9.06mph on average. This has coincided with drop in passenger numbers for the first time since the pandemic, dropping from 1.869bn journeys to 1.842bn.

Street Works UK has stark criticism of the scheme, stating that residents will see works pushed into unsocial hours as utility companies look to limit. The trade association also believes it could damage development opportunities.

"Lane rental schemes are intended to reduce congestion on the busiest parts of the road network, and we support that principle," a spokesperson told MyLondon. "However, we have concerns that in some cases, new schemes are being proposed without robust traffic data or clear evidence to support their introduction.

"Street Works UK and its members work hard to reduce disruption through better coordination between utilities, the use of trench-sharing schemes and continued investment in innovative technologies that allow essential works to be delivered with minimal impact on the travelling public."

The Mayor of London has described his wider project to reduce congestion in London by 2030 as a "bold new approach" that will ensure the benefits are felt by everyone. "Congestion is annoying for everyone, and it costs our economy millions of pounds a year," Sir Sadiq said. "This innovative new strategy will tackle the causes of congestion head on.