To ask the Minister for Regional Development to detail the annual cost to the local economy that results from congestion caused by road works.

My Department’s Roads Service has advised that it has not attempted to estimate the annual cost to the local economy resulting from congestion caused by road works. However, it does try to quantify the impact of delays on specific sections of the road network, when assessing the costs and benefits of proposed major capital works. These are scheme specific assessments and do not provide a basis for assessment of overall congestion costs.

Estimates in relation to the cost of congestion caused by road works in GB vary significantly, with the highest estimate being around 10 times the size of the lowest estimate. However, I understand that in GB, it is considered that traffic congestion caused by works on roads, including those carried out by local road authorities and utility companies, is estimated at only one tenth of total traffic congestion.