‘Lane rental’ scheme considered in Greater Manchester
A new ‘lane rental’ scheme is being considered in Greater Manchester.
Under the plans – proposed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) in partnership with the ten local highway authorities – local authorities, utility companies and other organisations carrying out roadworks would face daily charges for occupying the most traffic-sensitive roads at peak times.
The proposal is aimed at tackling congestion and cutting disruption from roadworks on the city region’s busiest routes.
Fees would range from £1,500 per day for lane closures to £2,500 per day for full road closures, with a £350 daily charge for work on areas that affect pedestrians. The scheme is proposed for just under 10% of Greater Manchester’s highways – 787 streets covering 855 kilometres.
The move aims to better incentivise organisations to collaborate and coordinate roadworks, as well as work outside the peak times. It is envisioned to encourage companies to cut the length of time that works are in place, carry out more work overnight or on weekends, and will provide discounts for those that embrace less disruptive approaches.
The proposal is set to be shared with TfGM’s Bee Network Committee next Thursday (24 July). TfGM will then consult on the plans before submitting an application to the Secretary of State for Transport to implement the scheme.
“Lane rental has already been successful in London and other parts of the south of England, delivering faster and more reliable journey times for all road users, while also reducing disruption and congestion” – Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “The Bee Network is delivering more reliable and punctual services for passengers, helping deliver economic growth across Greater Manchester.
“Lane rental has already been successful in London and other parts of the south of England, delivering faster and more reliable journey times for all road users, while also reducing disruption and congestion. We strongly believe that lane rental will have a similarly positive impact in Greater Manchester.”
Planned and emergency roadworks on the proposed routes often lead to delays that impact the local economy – to the tune of around £100 million a year – and create more pollution. It’s estimated they generate around 60,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions produced by travelling 50 million miles in a typical car.
On the streets planned for the lane rental scheme, on average a new work site starts every 90 minutes. In total, around 27,000 days of road occupation take place each year across the proposed lane rental network – equivalent to 74 years’ worth of disruption annually. If approved, the scheme could generate around £10-13m per year, which would be invested back into road maintenance and measures to reduce disruption.
“Lane rental is designed to put road users first by reducing delays, cutting emissions, and making our roads work better for everyone” – Peter Boulton, TfGM’s Highways Network Director
Peter Boulton, TfGM’s Highways Network Director, said: “We’ve all experienced the frustration that comes with roadworks. Whether upgrading or maintaining the roads or supplying utilities and other services to our homes and businesses, they’re a necessary part of keeping our infrastructure working. However, we believe there’s a better way to go about it which causes less disruption for people using our roads.
“Lane rental is designed to put road users first by reducing delays, cutting emissions, and making our roads work better for everyone, whether its drivers, cyclists or pedestrians, as well as bus passengers and freight deliveries.
“These schemes can also act as a strong incentive for organisations which carry out roadworks to plan ahead, ensure the work is done more efficiently and help alleviate disruption.”