'Lanes for rent' step closer in roadworks shake-up debate

Plans to charge operators for road closures on Hampshire's busiest roads have moved a step closer, with the controversial "lane rental scheme" potentially set for submission to the Department for Transport.

- by Natalia Forero

If approved, the scheme is forecast to generate around £2.8m a year in gross income to Hampshire County Council, based on data from the past three years.

The final decision on whether the council would approve and submit the plan to the Department for Transport (DfT) was to be made yesterday.

The scheme would cover approximately 500 streets, spanning 750 kilometres of Hampshire's road network - roughly eight per cent of the county council's total roads.