Brighton and Hove considers £2,500 daily charge for roadworks during peak hours

Scheme to tackle roadworks disruption

Brighton and Hove City Council is considering a lane rental scheme that would charge utility companies and contractors up to £2,500 per day for roadworks on busy roads during peak hours.

Councillors will discuss the proposal at a meeting on 12 November. If approved, the scheme would apply to companies carrying out works on key routes when traffic is heaviest.

The council currently receives around 20,000 permit applications each year for road works from gas, water, electricity and telecommunications companies, as well as its own teams and contractors. Under current rules, the maximum penalty for breaching permit conditions is £120 per day.

Benefits and timeline

Cabinet member for transport and city infrastructure Councillor Trevor Muten said: "Roadworks are one of the biggest causes of frustration for residents and can have a significant impact on local businesses and journeys across the city."

He added that the scheme would "encourage utility companies and contractors to work more efficiently, coordinate better with one another and complete works more quickly, helping to keep Brighton & Hove moving."

Any money raised would be reinvested in transport projects across the city. The council hopes the higher charges would push companies to finish work faster and reduce disruption to motorists and public transport.

If approved by the Secretary of State, the scheme could start as early as spring 2027.

Evidence from other areas

Lane rental schemes already operate in Kent and London, where they have reduced how long roadworks take. In Brighton and Hove, emergency roadworks currently take around 20 days on average to complete, compared to just 2 to 5 days in areas with lane rental schemes.

Traffic enforcement proposals

The council's cabinet will also consider a citywide policy for using moving traffic enforcement powers. Following a six-week public consultation, most respondents supported camera enforcement at problem locations.

Councillors will be asked to approve enforcement at five locations: Carden Avenue onto Carden Crescent (one-way street restriction), London Road onto New England Road (prohibited left turn), Ditchling Road onto Baker Street (prohibited left turn), West Street onto Rottingdean High Street (prohibited right turn), and Francis Street (motor vehicle prohibition except for access).

Councillor Muten said the approach would be "targeted" and "evidence-led", with enforcement only introduced where there is evidence of safety concerns, congestion issues, or repeated non-compliance.

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