THE first scheme of its kind in the North of England could be introduced to charge utility companies and others for carrying out roadworks on key roads during the busiest times of the day.

North Yorkshire Council is considering plans for the lane rental scheme, which is already successfully operating in London and Kent, in a bid to reduce traffic disruption.

Under the scheme, companies would incur daily fees of up to £2,500 for undertaking maintenance work at peak times. It is designed to reduce the length of works and encourage companies to work together to minimise inconvenience.

When piloted in the South of England, the initiative recorded a significant reduction in congestion, as companies worked outside peak times to avoid accumulating charges.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transportation, Cllr Keane Duncan said: “Roadworks are a major source of frustration, that’s why we’re adopting the toughest possible approach in North Yorkshire.

“Charging utility companies for the time they occupy the highway means we can incentivise them to complete works more efficiently and outside of peak hours. By moving this scheme forwards, we’re doing everything within our legal power to ensure disruption for residents, visitors and businesses is minimised."

Key stakeholders will now be consulted on the scheme before an application goes to the Department for Transport for Secretary of State approval. If successful, the scheme could be in operation before the summer of next year.

Fees raised would be used to cover costs of running the scheme, with any surplus invested into measures that reduce disruption on the highways.