A new scheme aimed at reducing traffic congestion across County Durham will come into force next week.
From Monday, 19 October, Durham County Council will become the first local authority in the North East, and the first county authority outside of the London area, to introduce a Lane Rental Scheme.
Designed to reduce the impact of roadworks, the scheme will allow the council to charge organisations for works carried out on the county’s busiest routes and at times where they are most likely to cause disruption.
Through these charges, the scheme is expected to encourage those carrying out roadworks to plan them outside of peak travel times and complete them over a shorter period.
By reducing disruption on key routes, the scheme is also expected to reduce delays for residents, visitors and public transport services, as well as minimise impacts on businesses.
Cllr Tim McGuinness, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for rural, farming and transport, said: “The Lane Rental Scheme will help us keep roads open during the busiest periods while still allowing for important infrastructure works to be carried out.
“It will encourage better planning and coordination between organisations, ensuring traffic continues to move across the county efficiently.
“Any profits from the Lane Rental Scheme will also allow us to reinvest in our highway, with funding used towards road maintenance, traffic improvement projects, and innovative technologies to enhance how we care for the county’s network.
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“This is a great success story for our highways team and we’re pleased to be the first authority in the North East, and among the first nationally outside of London, to adopt this scheme.”
The Lane Rental Scheme has been developed using detailed analysis of traffic patterns and congestion hotspots identified from the council’s Traffic Sensitive Streets network.
Under the scheme, charges of up to £2,500 per day may apply on traffic-sensitive roads or during specified peak periods.
However, organisations will have opportunities to avoid charges by planning works for outside peak times, reducing the length of works or adopting less disruptive methods.
For more information on the Lane Rental Scheme, visit www.durham.gov.uk/LaneRentalScheme
