Local highways maintenance transparency report

Buckinghamshire Council recognises the essential role of streetworks in maintaining and upgrading roads and vital utilities such as gas, water, and electricity. While these works can be disruptive, we are committed to minimising their impact on residents, road users, and the wider community through a robust and proactive management approach.

At the heart of this approach, is the government-approved Permit Scheme, which coordinates all roadworks, including private licence applications. The scheme allows the council to set restrictions on work durations, enforce compliance, and penalise those who overstay or breach conditions. These rules apply equally to utility companies and the council’s own works.

The objectives of this approach are to:

• reduce disruption on the network
• improve overall network management
• reduce delays to the travelling public
• reduce costs to businesses caused by delays
• promote a safer environment
• reduce carbon emission

The Buckinghamshire Council Permit Scheme has been in operation for 5 years. In 2024/2025, we processed 51,200 applications (9244 refused) and 13693 variations (1791 refused). View the council’s Permit Scheme Evaluation Reports.

Buckinghamshire Council is an active member of the Local Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee (HAUC), operating within the Anglian region. It holds quarterly HAUC meetings, chaired by the Network Co-ordination Manager, attended by utility companies and Highway Alliance partners. Additionally, the Council engages with utility companies on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to coordinate forward planning, permits, and performance. The council’s collaborative efforts with Work Promoters are highlighted in the Year 3 evaluation report, showcasing the scheme’s success.

To further reduce congestion, we have proposed a Lane Rental Scheme (BLRS), in line with Department for Transport and HAUC (England) guidance. This would charge works promoters for occupying high-traffic roads during peak times, encouraging faster, more efficient work. The scheme would apply to 522 streets (7.8% of the network) and aims to improve journey reliability, reduce emissions, and reinvest surplus revenue into future improvements.

To further enhance network oversight, we introduced an extended Streetworks inspection service in May 2024, operating 7am to 7pm on weekdays and 8am to 4pm on weekends.

This has enabled quicker responses to issues, such as:

• removal of un-authorised works taking place on the highway without a permit, to avoid clashes on the network
• removal of traffic management, where it is no longer required to avoid elongated and un-necessary disruption
• enforcement of permit conditions, to promote greater compliance

As a result, 48,696 inspections were carried out in 2024/2025, leading to 10,214 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) being issued. This enhanced enforcement supports better compliance and smoother traffic flow.

Safety and environmental impact are also key priorities. We enforce minimum space requirements for road users during works and promotes shorter work durations to reduce risks. By cutting unnecessary idling, the scheme also contributes to lower carbon emissions.

Finally, we have adopted a more proactive communication strategy, using social media to inform residents about major or emergency roadworks. The key message is to “check before you travel”, even for routine journeys. For more information, see our check before you travel page.

Buckinghamshire Council continues to lead in road network management through innovation, strong collaboration, and a commitment to balancing essential infrastructure work with the needs of the community.