Following Cumberland Council’s Highways and Transport Strategic Board on Thursday 22 October, new figures show the council’s permit scheme is helping to reduce disruption.
The Cumberland Council Permit Scheme for Road and Street Activities Review 2023-26 found that the average duration of works reduced from 3.9 days to 2.8 days. The total amount of time that works occupied the highway network also fell by 15,516 days, a reduction of 28%.
Permit schemes allow councils to manage when road and street works take place. Utility companies and other organisations carrying out work must obtain a permit, giving the council greater opportunity to coordinate activity, reduce the time roads are occupied and minimise disruption.
The findings show that utility works remained higher than originally forecast, averaging 12,391 works each year. With utility works higher than originally forecast, the council’s permit scheme has continued to reduce the duration of works and improve coordination across the highway network.
The review also found an increase in planned minor works and a reduction in urgent works, providing more opportunities for activities to be coordinated and managed effectively.
Councillor Denise Rollo, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, said:
“Road and street works are sometimes unavoidable, but it is important that they are planned and coordinated as effectively as possible to minimise disruption.
“These results show that our permit scheme is making a positive difference by reducing the time works occupy our roads and strengthening collaboration between the council, utility companies and other organisations.
“We will continue to monitor the scheme and work closely with those carrying out works across Cumberland to help keep people moving and limit disruption for residents, businesses and road users.”
Cumberland Council became a unitary authority on 1 April 2023 and subsequently approved its permit scheme to replace the former Cumbria County Council scheme. The new scheme came into operation on 1 April 2025.
The review concluded that the scheme continues to operate effectively, improving coordination, strengthening collaboration and reducing the amount of time works occupy the highway network.
The council will continue to monitor permit applications, staffing requirements and permit fee income to ensure the scheme remains effective, properly resourced and financially sustainable.