West Sussex County Council says its Lane Rental Scheme is delivering major benefits by reducing disruption from roadworks and reinvesting millions of pounds into the county’s road network.
The scheme, introduced in December 2022, requires utility companies to pay a daily charge for digging up the busiest roads. Since its launch, the council reports that roadworks have been cut by more than 3,000 days in total – the equivalent of nearly eight and a half years. The average duration of utility roadworks has also fallen by 32.5 percent.
Council officials say the charges encourage firms to plan work more efficiently, meaning less time with roads and pavements closed or restricted. Residents living near affected routes are also seeing reductions in noise, air pollution and disruption during peak periods.
Revenue raised through the scheme is being ploughed back into the local highways network. This includes trials of new technology, such as artificial intelligence to detect and repair safety defects. A share of the income is also set aside for community-led road projects, with organisations able to apply for funding through the Lane Rental Surplus Fund.
Currently, 907 roads in West Sussex are covered by the scheme. However, the council is in talks with the Government about extending it to key rural roads and linking sections of busy routes, to create what it calls a more connected and cohesive network.
Councillor Joy Dennis, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for highways and transport, explains: “West Sussex has some of the busiest roads in the country. As the highway authority, it’s our responsibility to keep traffic moving and reduce inconvenience to residents and road users.
“We introduced the scheme to give contractors an incentive to schedule works at quieter times of the day and take less time to complete them.
“The scheme has been a great success on the roads where it’s been applied. It's helping to improve the quality of life for our residents who would otherwise have been inconvenienced by long-running road works.
“In rural areas, like we have in West Sussex, some minor roads are vital connections between communities and poorly planned roadworks can create serious problems for local people. That is why we’re talking with Government to reclassify some rural roads in our county so all our most traffic-sensitive routes can be included, no matter their size or location.
“And the cherry on the cake is that the scheme generates additional income we can reinvest in repairing our roads and to fund community highways projects.”
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