A new ‘lane rental’ scheme has been proposed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to tackle congestion and cut disruption from roadworks on the city region’s busiest routes.
Under the plans – proposed by TfGM in partnership with the ten local highway authorities – local authorities, utility companies and other organisations carrying out roadworks would face daily charges for occupying the most traffic-sensitive roads at peak times.
Reportedly, fees would range from £1,500 per day for lane closures to £2,500 per day for full road closures, with a £350 daily charge for work on areas that affect pedestrians.
The scheme is proposed for just under 10% of Greater Manchester’s highways – 787 streets covering 855km.
The move aims to better incentivise organisations to collaborate and coordinate roadworks, as well as work outside the peak times.
TfGM also stated that the scheme will encourage companies to cut the length of time that works are in place, carry out more work overnight or on weekends, and provide discounts for less disruptive approaches.
READ MORE: TfGM’s Bus Priority Programme boosting passenger numbers, report shows
TfGm estimates that delays cost the local economy around £100m a year which is estimated to generate around 60,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions produced by travelling 50 million miles in a typical car.
In total, around 27,000 days of road occupation take place each year across the proposed lane rental network – equivalent to 74 years’ worth of disruption annually.
The proposal is set to be shared with TfGM’s Bee Network Committee 24 July, after which TfGM will consult on the plans before submitting an application to the secretary of state for transport to implement the scheme.
Transport commissioner for Greater Manchester, Vernon Everitt, said: “The Bee Network is delivering more reliable and punctual services for passengers, helping deliver economic growth across Greater Manchester.
“Lane rental has already been successful in London and other parts of the south of England, delivering faster and more reliable journey times for all road users, while also reducing disruption and congestion.
“We strongly believe that lane rental will have a similarly positive impact in Greater Manchester.”
Achievements and innovations in traffic management will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
