Boris launches lane rental consultation

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has urged the Department of Transport to undertake an overdue consultation on a proposed lane rental system that would charge utility companies for digging up the road and encourage companies to complete works quickly and keep traffic flowing.

"38% of traffic delays in the capital caused by roadworks at an estimated cost of nearly £1 billion of economic disruption every year," says the Mayor's office. The lane rental system would give companies "an incentive to complete works quickly – the less time they take, the less they pay."

Over 100 utility companies including gas, water and telecommunications companies regularly dig up the streets of London causing delays and disruption. Mayor Johnson hopes that a lane rental system would encourage companies to rethink their working practices by working outside peak hours or even avoiding digging altogether by using alternative technology.

A public consultation was due to start in July, but no date has yet been announced. The Mayor's office is therefore gathering their own data from an opinion poll online. "It is vitally important for the Mayor to get the opinions of Londoners on the subject so he can petition government to start a consultation on proposals for a new lane rental system as soon as possible," says the office.

To register your opinion on the lane rental proposals, simply go to http://www.london.gov.uk/lane-rental and click either the "Yes" or the "No" button. You can also leave a comment at the website. Opinion so far seems to be in favour of the rental system, with commenters observing that it may promote co-operation between companies and encourage works to be completed quickly or outside of rush hour.

Some commenters worry that this cost will inevitably be passed back to utility customers in the form of higher bills; others worry that faster work will mean corner-cutting, shoddy finishing and safety problems. What do you think? Let us know below, and let Boris know at the website!

Image: BigTallGuy