Lane Rental Scheme (charging for roadworks on busy roads)

We are putting together an application for a Lane Rental Scheme for County Durham.

The scheme could help to reduce congestion through the introduction of additional charges for works carried out on the county’s busiest roads during peak hours, where they are likely to cause the most significant disruption. 

It will be informed by analysis of traffic hotspots, identified from our Traffic Sensitive Streets list, which we are currently updating as part of a separate consultation.

Your involvement

In order to bring in a scheme such as this, we must apply to the Secretary of State for permission. As part of the legal process, we need to ask your views on the draft proposals for the scheme before the official application is made.

Why we are considering a Lane Rental Scheme

We have a legal duty under the Traffic Management Act (2004) to make sure of the smooth movement of traffic across County Durham. Our Permit Scheme, introduced in 2020, improved our ability to coordinate work across the county.

A Lane Rental Scheme allows us, as the Highway Authority, to charge organisations (promoters) for the time they occupy the busiest roads during peak hours. The goal is to minimise traffic disruption and reduce congestion by encouraging work to be done outside of busy times or be completed more quickly. 

If approved, we would be the first local council in the North East to introduce it. 

How it would affect road works

The key proposed elements of the scheme are that:

• it would apply to the most congested and critical parts of our road network
• charges would only be applied to work on roads designated as traffic sensitive or protected, and be during predefined times
• promoters would have real opportunities to avoid charges by carrying out work in less disruptive ways
• charges of up to £2,500 per day would apply

Expected benefits 

The scheme could lead to: 

• work being completed outside of peak times
• a reduction in the time a work site is left unnecessarily unoccupied
• work being completed to the required standards first time, and so avoiding the need for return visits
• roads being kept open at the busiest times, even during the work
• making best use of promoter’s staff to reduce the length of the work
• improvements in planning, coordination and working methods, including joint working between promoters 

If approved the scheme could:

• help reduce delays for residents and businesses
• improve the reliability of public transport
• help to improve air quality in our busiest locations

In addition, 50% of the revenue raised from it would be reinvested into upgrading and protecting our roads, including repairing potholes and carrying out resurfacing work. The remaining 50% would be distributed based on the Government's criteria, outlined in the Governance of Surplus Funding document below.

Which roads will be affected

Government guidance says that the scheme should focus on the most critical parts of the road network, where the costs of disruption caused by works is greatest.

Working with an independent consultant and using defined methodologies, we have analysed traffic patterns across County Durham to identify the most congested roads and where the cost of disruption is potentially the greatest. See the 'Selecting the Network' map and list of the proposed roads that would be covered by the scheme document for more information.

Documents to refer to when answering the survey 

The Lane Rental Scheme document provides details of how we propose the scheme will operate.

Selecting the Network provides a map and list of the proposed roads that could be covered by the scheme.

Cost Benefit Analysis Report provides details of the potential costs and benefits of the introduction of the scheme.

The Charges Policy and Table provides details of the types of charges that would potentially apply and how much these charges might be.

The Evaluation Plan provides details of how the scheme will be assessed annually to make sure it's effective.

The Governance of Surplus Funding provides details of how we intend to manage any surplus funding based on the Government's criteria.

The closing date for comments is Monday 4 August 2025 .