An overlooked frustration of modern life is road disruption, lane rental schemes are to be welcomed - Ismail Mulla

An often overlooked frustration of modern life is road disruption. In some parts of Yorkshire there has been a plague of roadworks. A litter of traffic cones surround heavy machinery plonked in the middle of some of the busiest roads at peak times.

For many people, including those who are not motorists, that is the biggest indicator of how broken Britain is. The same roads are being dug up over and over again.

Last year, we had an absurd situation in Dewsbury where every corner of the town either had a temporary traffic light up or diversions in place. Some towns find themselves often completely penned in.

Businesses suffer because customers don’t want to navigate the misery of traffic jams. They can’t get deliveries in because there’s no way through for drivers of vans and HGVs.

The already fraught school run becomes all the more stressful for parents. Even those who make the sensible choice of walking their children to school are left facing air pollution and noise from idling engines of cars going nowhere fast.

The reason why more isn’t made of the misery of roadworks is because it doesn’t affect those living in the Westminster bubble. But it has a real impact on those living in towns and villages, especially when public transport is woefully lacking. It just feels like everything grinds to a standstill.

That is why the announcement that three West Yorkshire councils are to begin charging companies up to £2,500 a day to carry out roadworks on some of the region's busiest roads during peak times is to be welcomed.

Leeds, Wakefield and Kirklees councils say the lane rental schemes are aimed at reducing disruption by encouraging organisations to carry out works at less busy times.

The councils worked together to secure Department for Transport (DfT) approval for the scheme.

Cllr John Hardie, Kirklees Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, highways and transport, said: “Whilst roadworks are often essential, we all want to see less disruption and delays.

“This new scheme will help us achieve this by giving us the tools we need to incentivise better co-ordination, planning and efficiency from those working on our roads.

“By joining up with our neighbouring councils we’re sending a strong message to companies about the importance of working efficiently and considerately.

“We want to keep Kirklees residents, businesses and travellers moving and lane rental will mean we have the powers to do that.”

It’s absurd enough that councils are having to ask the DfT for permission to take back control of their roads, so much for devolution. But the idea that there is little coordination when it comes to roadworks just shows how fragmented our approach to infrastructure is in this country.

In the age of technology, it should not be beyond the realm of possibility for one utility company to say to another that they’re planning on digging up a certain road and that they could possibly do their respective work at the same time.

And why is it not default that companies that do need to dig up busy roads do so at the quietest possible time to minimise disruption?

I’ve personally seen roadworks descend into a farce. Temporary traffic lights have failed, leading to one of the workers on site having to scramble with a sign, directing the flow of traffic. Or where work being carried out on one end of a road has led to problems down the other end of the same road. The only thing missing was the Benny Hill music.

But behind the comedy is the real life misery being inflicted on people. Missed appointments, children left waiting at school, staff being held up from getting to their workplaces. Not to mention the danger it presents to pedestrians who are simply looking to go about their day.

That is why if the economy is going to grow then more areas need to take control and start getting tough on those who are causing chaos on Britain’s roads.

There will be many who won’t be completely sold on the idea of charging £2,500 for disruption. The cynics amongst us will inevitably say that the cost will be passed onto the customer down the line. But we can’t be supine in the face of endless disruption.

Of course, there would be few problems with traffic congestion if public transport was not such a shambles in this part of the world but that argument now very much sounds like a broken record in the face of continuing political failure. Then again, the unintended consequences of any improvements may result in more interminable misery on the roads.