Portsmouth plans to charge more for roadworks to cut disruption
Portsmouth City Council is moving forward with plans to introduce higher charges for roadworks in an effort to cut disruption across the city.
At a recent transport cabinet meeting, councillors agreed to progress a proposed lane rental scheme - a system that would allow the council to charge utility companies and contractors up to £2,500 per day for carrying out works on key parts of the road network.
If approved, the scheme would run alongside the city’s current cost-neutral permit system, which manages both highway works (road maintenance) and street works (usually carried out by gas, water, or electricity companies).
Council officers said the added charges could help “encourage behaviour change amongst works promoters on the road”, such as scheduling works more collaboratively or completing them more quickly.
The scheme is expected to raise around £700,000 a year. Half the revenue would be reinvested in measures to reduce disruption from roadworks, while the other half would go towards general highway maintenance, including pothole repairs.
The council is preparing to apply to the Department for Transport in April 2026, with the aim to roll out the scheme in the Autumn.
Councillor Simon Bosher supported the plan, calling it “well overdue” and a way to make utility companies “work more collaboratively.” He said anything that reduced repeat works - the kind where it feels like they’re “digging that hole for the fifth time” - and boosted council income was “the right thing to do.”
He also raised concerns about controlling the timing of noisy works, particularly in the evenings. Officers responded that this could still be managed under the existing permit scheme, which the new lane rental model would complement.
A council officer pointed to Surrey’s experience, where lane rental encouraged utilities to “collaborate together,” sharing traffic management and road closures adding "three of them worked at the same time to get the job done."
Cllr Emily Strudwick voiced her backing for “anything that makes roadworks go as quickly as possible".
Cllr Graham Heaney asked about funding arrangements, questioning whether the council or Colas would cover the cost of local authority works. Officers said these contractual details would be settled before the scheme’s roll out.