Southampton council to charge up to £2,500 a day for roadworks

Southampton City Council has secured Department for Transport (DfT) approval for its lane rental scheme, which will cover 67 key roads.

Charges will apply to utility firms, contractors and the council’s own highways contractor Balfour Beatty.

The local authority says the scheme is designed to reduce congestion by encouraging works to be carried out at less disruptive times and completed more quickly.

Jacqui Rayment, councillor responsible for transport, said: “This scheme is about putting residents first by reducing disruption on some of our busiest roads and encouraging works to be carried out in a way that has less impact on people’s everyday lives.

Bevois ward councillor Jacqui Rayment. Picture: Southampton Labour

“Fewer delays will mean more reliable journeys, better bus services and a smoother experience for everyone travelling around Southampton.”

Daily charges will be set at £2,500 for a full closure and £1,500 for a lane closure or temporary traffic lights.

The council expects the scheme to encourage better coordination between organisations carrying out works, including sharing road space where possible..

Cllr Rayment said the policy would also benefit the environment and economy.

She said: “Less time spent in traffic means cleaner air, while any money raised through the scheme will be reinvested into improving and protecting our road network for the benefit of local people.”

Analysis suggests the charges could generate around £374,000 a year, based on average levels of roadworks over the past three years. Set-up costs were estimated at £73,000, with annual operating costs of £123,000 at 2024 prices.

Half of any surplus generated will be reinvested in road maintenance, with the remainder used to support schemes aimed at reducing congestion,

The council must go through a process to prepare for the scheme’s implementation, including a 12-week notice period.

Details on when the charges will go live will be announced in due course, a council spokesman said.

The authority’s previous attempt to introduce a lane rental scheme was rejected by the DfT last year as it covered too many roads.