Utility companies to face increased fines for poor roadworks across Hertfordshire
The County Council has secured tougher penalties from 2026.
Fines for utility companies in Hertfordshire carrying out unplanned or poorly managed roadworks are set to double from the New Year, following persistent calls by Hertfordshire County Council for tougher penalties.
The council highlighted concerns to the Department for Transport in September, arguing that existing penalties were not enough to deter companies from working without permits or breaching conditions. These actions can cause widespread disruption to road users, impacting both residents and businesses.
The Department for Transport has now confirmed the increase, which will allow higher fines to be imposed starting in early 2026.
Under the revised rules, the fines for working without a permit (Regulation 19) will rise from a standard rate of £500 to £1,000. The discounted fine for early payment will increase from £300 to £600. Fines for breaching permit conditions (Regulation 20) will double, jumping from £120 to £240, with discounted fines also rising from £80 to £160. Payments must now be settled within 36 days from the day a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) is issued.
Since April 2022, Hertfordshire County Council has issued over 10,000 fines to utility companies for roadwork breaches.
Speaking on the changes, Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Executive Member for Highways at Hertfordshire County Council, said:
“Too often companies who undertake works on our roads do so with little consideration for the negative impact they can have on road users, especially when those works are done without permission, fail to remove temporary traffic lights and open roads when works are finished. That is why I felt compelled to act on behalf of residents.
“After requesting that Government increase the fines that can be levied on utility companies to act as a deterrent for such behaviour, I welcome confirmation from the Department for Transport that from the New Year, penalties for unplanned or substandard works will be doubled.”
He added: “Roads are the arteries that keep our county moving and I’ll continue to use every lever available to make sure we have the best road network in the country.”
Hertfordshire experiences around 60,000 roadworks each year, most carried out by utility companies. While many are conducted efficiently, those that are unmanaged or poorly executed have been cited as a major source of disruption and delays in the area.