London gets green light to end roadworks chaos
THE Government has given the green light’ to bring in a roadworks permit scheme in London to tackle congestion and ease traffic flow
THE Government has given the 'green light' to bring in a roadworks permit scheme in London to tackle congestion and ease traffic flow.
Transport for London has been working with 18 local authorities to come up with a scheme which was submitted to the Department for Transport for approval.
TfL's Surface transport director David Brown said: "Now the Government has given us the go ahead, we can get the ball rolling and impose conditions and timing to stop contractors repeatedly digging up the same bit of road."
Utility companies for gas, electricity and water mains and for telecom cables will have to apply for a permit before they can begin work.
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The Mayor of London's transport advisor, Kulveer Ranger, said: "The war on roadworks is well underway to end the frustration they cause every day."
But City Hall could go further and bring in a 'lane rental' system which would limit the biggest roadworks that run on for weeks or months at a time.
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This would impose 'overstay' charges which local authorities say would help limit street chaos.
Traders were badly hit, for example, along East London's golden curry mile' with the closure of Brick Lane for months on end last year while water-mains were being replaced, and again by electricity mains repairs this summer along the same stretch.