Increasing road works sparks gridlock warning

The UK is heading for gridlock in the face of rapid infrastructure upgrades, increasing road usage and poor cross-industry collaboration, claims Causeway Technologies.

The number of roadworks across the UK increased by 42% between 2019 and 2023, with more than 203,000 miles of roadworks taking place last year alone, according to data from its digital road management platform One Network. 

In a report, developed in partnership with the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT), Causeway says that additional to scheduled and emergency road maintenance, works by utility firms are rising rapidly, driven by Project Gigabit, asset upgrades and water leaks. 

Project Gigabit contributed to a 108% increase in telecoms-driven roadworks between 2019 and 2023. In the same period electricity works have risen by 25%, water works by 8%, and gas also by 8%.  

With the Department for Transport (DfT) predicting a 54% increase in road usage by 2060, Causeway research finds that 72% of utilities and 62% local highway authorities (LHAs) leaders believe that the UK is heading for a road and street works crisis by 2030 without greater industry collaboration. 

They cite challenges in planning, management and communication, coupled with growing demand for road access, are all contributing to inefficiencies in how works are completed. 

Nick Smee, director for infrastructure at Causeway, said: “The rapid rise in roadworks is largely a result of important infrastructure upgrades. These are critical to the UK’s future prosperity. But it’s clear that if the industry continues to work in the same ways the wheels are going to come off.

“Closer collaboration between everyone involved is vital to rolling out critical new services, whilst mitigating disruption to road users.”  

A worrying 81% of LHA respondents believe management and communications in road works and street works could be improved.

Seven in ten in utilities (71%), meanwhile, believe roadworks and street works are currently planned in a disjointed way. 

Both LHAs (58%) and utilities (54%) cited poor collaboration as the main barrier to effective work.

Half (50%) of LHAs said that the extreme demand for road access from a multiplicity of different utilities firms prevents road work planning and management from becoming more efficient.

Amidst the gloomy outlook, there are some positives with individual works taking less time to complete on average (down by 15.8% between 2019 and 2023).  

Mark Corbin, chair of ADEPT’s national traffic managers forum, said: “We need a new era of collaboration where utility companies, contractors, local highway authorities and community stakeholders form strong alliances to plan, deliver and reduce impacts of roadworks.

“Improving communications and transforming behaviours is not just a necessity, but must be seen as a strategic national imperative.” 

Read the full findings from Causeway’s inaugural Road Ahead report.