How far in advance should roadworks be publicised?

09 May 2018

We’ve talked a lot recently about the railway and advance notice of disruptive engineering works.

The railway has an obligation to put engineering works into the information and fares system at least 12 weeks in advance so passengers don’t buy tickets or plan journeys in error. There have been recent problems with the so called ‘T-12’ obligation which we have highlighted and indeed the industry has now moved to a temporary six-week deadline.

What is the obligation on the roads? At present there isn’t one apart from an internal Highways England target.

What should be the obligation be? First thing is to ask the users, freight companies in particular, what their needs are. Should roadworks be published 24 hours, seven days or two weeks in advance?

We have heard many anecdotal examples of roadworks being put on at very short notice which makes road deliveries difficult – especially for HGVs which often drive through the night when roads are quieter.

While investment is crucial, how the improvements are carried out is also important. There are going to be more roadworks so it’s key that road users get the info they need to cope during them.

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