London roadworks to get government fillip

n a move welcomed by motorists, travellers and businesspersons alike, the UK government has decided to make serious efforts to ease traffic congestion in London by localising jurisdictional powers for the city’s roadworks.

Sadiq Khan, UK Transport minister has announced a batch of new proposals that will see anyone wanting to carry out roadworks in the city having to apply for a local permit. This permit, when granted, will spell out the exact time-frame for each project.

Firms that lapse their deadlines could face fines of up to £25,000 for each day of delay, if these new proposals go through.

Transport Minister Khan has labelled the current style of London roadworks as chaotic; affecting bus routes adversely and seriously hampering public transport users from getting to their chosen destinations on time. The minister has said the idea behind these new proposals is to give the city new and binding powers to plan, coordinate and oversee all roadworks undertaken in the city. He has said the ministry is making it a top priority to resolve the current problems faced on London’s roads.

The announcement of the new proposals comes just days after London’s Mayor Boris Johnson announced that public transport fares for the city were to rise in January 2010.

The mayor had said that the decision to raise the fares had not been taken lightly, and he has urged Londoners to accept the rises as crucial for the long-term survival of public transport in the city.