BCP Council has approved plans to apply to the government to implement a lane rental scheme on more than 100 roads across the conurbation.
Once the scheme is implemented the local authority will be able to charge up to £2500 for delays in completing roadworks on time.
There are four bends that works can be placed into which determines how much companies will have to pay for carrying out works at the busiest times.
Band one covers road closures and single carriageway road occupancy and band two covers all carriageway remedial works; both bands will cost companies £2500.
Band three covers single lane occupancy of dual carriageways and will cost companies £2000.
Band four is for works on cycle lanes and will cost £1500.
At a full council meeting on March 24, it was confirmed that the first 48 hours of emergency works would be free.
Councillor Andy Martin said: “I am happy to support this, on average 80 per cent of the work that takes place on BCP roads are conducted by utility providers, not by the council. I think as motorists, or those that are motorists, we are frustrated by the number of time you drive past cones and barriers by the side of the road where nothing appears to be happening for days or weeks on end. So hopefully we will see a bit more joined up working and we will see utility companies working a little bit faster”.
Councillor Millie Earl said: “This is an absolute gamechanger for residents of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole no matter how they travel. It will reduce the amount of congestion we see across our three towns and I am really excited about putting this in place.”
Councillor Chris Rigby said this is a great idea adding that: “I think one of the complaints we get most is about road closures”, but he did ask if there was a way that the council could make sure companies take materials with them after works are completed.
The council approved applying to implement a lane rental scheme by consensus.