Council considering charging roadwork firms 'rent' on Calderdale routes to cut time work takes

Residents often express frustration when roadworks and temporary traffic lights go up and the time it takes for the work to be complete.

If budget proposals are adopted, Calderdale Council is aiming to change the system by which some works can be carried out.

For decades, a permit system has operated in the borough so when a company wants to undertake work on a road, they request and can be granted a permit to do so.

When situations are an emergency, the council cannot deny utility companies permission to undertake work.

But tabled in Calderdale Council’s cabinet budget proposals this year is the introduction of a land rental scheme instead of the permit process.

This introduces a mechanism of charging any works promoter carrying out activities in the road for the days those works occupy the highway.

In other words, says leader of the Council, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot), the longer schemes take, the more it would be likely to cost them.

“It’s basically making contractors pay and be organised,” she said.

This would rebalance the situation between the needs of contractors and residents, the council hopes.

It is not straightforward, said the cabinet member for Resources, Coun Silvia Dacre (Lab, Todmorden), as the council will need permission from the Government to introduce the change.

Often contractors used sub-contractors and if they in turn are stretched, delays often result

The change would come in from April 2026 if approved.