Mayor's new power to stop roadworks

New powers to ban roadworks are to be given to the Mayor's transport authority in a bid to reduce congestion on London's busiest roads.

Transport for London is set to get the go-ahead to refuse boroughs permission to dig up busy routes such as Edgware Road and Uxbridge Road.

Its powers may also be extended to main roads inside the congestion- charge zone frequently blighted by digging, such as Oxford Street, Strand and Tottenham Court Road.

But a row is threatening to break out over the extent of TfL's new role, with London councils fearing the new system will add to red tape. There is also concern that TfL will choose to prioritise the need to keep buses moving ahead of the needs of other motorists and pedestrians.

The Government has launched consultation on designating 320 miles of A-roads as "strategic" routes, over which TfL will be given the power to veto digging by councils and utility companies.

Transpor t Minister Tony McNulty said: "TfL is ideally placed to consider the wider implicationsof highway schemes and works, particularly how they might affect the smooth running of the wider road network."

Recent figures show Oxford Street was dug up 176 times in the past year while Strand was subjected to works on 154 occasions.

Consultation on the new powers is due to end on 6 December, with the banning orders coming into effect in early 2005.

A TfL spokeswoman said: "Good traffic management transcends borough boundaries and London needs legislation that will enable better co-ordination of roadworks so we can keep London moving."