A list of 787 qualifying roads across Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs – totalling more than 500 miles – has been drawn upRoadworks in Greater Manchester(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Companies, councils and utility providers could be charged for carrying out peak-time roadworks on the busiest routes across Greater Manchester.

The new plan, now being considered by civic leaders and transport bosses, is designed to cut traffic congestion.

Town halls and utility and private companies carrying out work on the most ‘traffic-sensitive’ roads during peak times would face daily fees under the ‘lane rental’ proposals.

A list of 787 qualifying roads across Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs – totalling more than 500 miles – has been drawn up. That figure, however, is said to cover just under 10 per cent of all the city region’s highways.

A map shows almost all of the major arterial routes around Manchester city centre are covered.

Fees would range from £1,500 per day for lane closures to £2,500 per day for full road closures, with a £350 daily charge for work on areas that affect pedestrians, said Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The plan has been proposed by TfGM together with all 10 councils in Greater Manchester and will go before decision-making councillors at a meeting next week. If approved, TfGM said the fees could generate up to £13m a year, money which would be invested back into road maintenance and congestion-cutting measures.

Roadworks in south Manchester(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Transport bosses have stressed, however, the scheme should not be ‘considered a tax for working on the highway’.

The announcement comes after controversy over a year-long project on Salford‘s border with Manchester. Work to install bike lanes, more pedestrian areas, and extra room for buses on Chapel Street in Salford began in late April, but a major closure of the thoroughfare came into effect in May, shutting Chapel Street westbound from Blackfriars Road to New Bailey Street.

The closure created long tailbacks in its first week, with motorists reporting ‘hour long queues’ and the Manchester Evening News revealing an image showing 40 buses stuck in traffic mayhem after the gridlock was compounded by the closure of a section of Deansgate.

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The move, said TfGM, aims to ‘better incentivise organisations to collaborate and coordinate roadworks, as well as work outside the peak times’.

There are currently four authorities with operational lane rental schemes – Transport for London; Kent County Council; Surrey County Council and West Sussex County Council. TfGM said studies carried out at two of the areas showed the schemes had been ‘successful in reducing disruption and the associated costs of congestion’.

The routes identified(Image: TfGM)

Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, Vernon Everitt, said: “We strongly believe that lane rental will have a similarly positive impact in Greater Manchester.” It would also support the Bee Network’s aim to deliver more reliable and punctual services for commuters – and boost economic growth, he added.

“The move aims to better incentivise organisations to collaborate and coordinate roadworks, as well as work outside the peak times,” said TfGM in a statement. “It will also encourage companies to cut the length of time that works are in place, carry out more work overnight or on weekends, and will provide discounts for those that embrace less disruptive approaches.”

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It’s estimated planned and emergency roadworks impact Greater Manchester’s economy to the tune of £100m a year and create more pollution. In total, around 27,000 days of ‘road occupation’ take place each year on the 787 routes identified. Of those routes, 149 are in Manchester, followed by 103 in Stockport, 96 in Wigan and 71 each in Salford and Trafford. Rochdale (53) has the fewest.

A report to be considered at a Bee Committee meeting next Thursday, July 24, said Greater Manchester experiences ‘some of the highest congestion levels in England’.

The Chapel Street roadworks, Salford(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)

There would be no charge for off-peak, overnight and weekend work. The report said: “The lane rental scheme is designed to treat all works promoters equally, whether they are utility companies or the highway authority itself.

“A lane rental scheme should not be considered a tax for working on the highway. The duty to manage the road network and secure the expeditious movement of traffic is predicated on enabling work to maintain and upgrade vital infrastructure, including roads, utility services and housing, whilst limiting the impact of this work to the road user.

“All emergency works and immediate responses would be subject to a limited access period without a charge being applied to the works promotor.”

Peter Boulton, TfGM’s Highways Network Director, said: “We’ve all experienced the frustration that comes with roadworks. Whether upgrading or maintaining the roads or supplying utilities and other services to our homes and businesses, they’re a necessary part of keeping our infrastructure working.

“However, we believe there’s a better way to go about it which causes less disruption for people using our roads.”

Any decision would require a period of public consultation and an application to the Government for approval.