en.Wedoany.com Reported - Transport for London (TfL) is expanding its lane rental scheme to the boroughs of Camden and Merton as part of a wider rollout, which charges utility companies for street works during the busiest times, generating surplus funds to finance new technologies such as smart barriers, camera-based artificial intelligence, and drone inspections.
Previously, Enfield and Lambeth were the first to implement the scheme. Another eight boroughs—Barnet, Hammersmith & Fulham, Havering, Kingston upon Thames, Redbridge, Southwark, Sutton, and Tower Hamlets—have had their lane rental applications approved by the government, with launches expected in autumn 2026. By then, one-third of all London boroughs will be running the scheme.
TfL stated that surplus funds raised through lane rental are being used to trial new technologies for real-time monitoring and management of street works, including smart barrier systems designed to quickly detect faults and help identify and repair defective or unsafe barriers faster. The funds also support a pilot of cameras and AI technology installed on buses to identify unsafe or unpermitted roadworks and congestion hotspots, enabling quicker intervention. More recently, the revenue has funded a pilot of drones and AI technology to inspect infrastructure, collecting more detailed data while reducing the need for disruptive road closures.
Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said the scheme is minimizing disruption by encouraging street works to be coordinated and carried out outside the busiest times, while funding innovations that keep the capital moving. TfL is also supporting the 'one dig' approach, encouraging organizations to coordinate street works to minimize repeated disruption, while helping expand the 'Road to Zero' program, which provides updated design guidance, enhanced training, and improved tools to reduce the impact of works on traffic and lower carbon emissions.
Carl Eddleston, TfL's Director of Street and Network Operations, said expanding lane rental is a core measure to reduce congestion and improve reliability for bus passengers and road users. TfL is also expanding the BusSense program, a partnership with boroughs aimed at reducing the impact of high-impact street works on bus routes through better coordination. Early results show a 3.5% improvement in bus journey times in areas where the program has been deployed. TfL plans to establish partnerships with all boroughs by autumn 2026.
This rollout builds on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act passed earlier this year. Following further regulatory updates, the Act will give the Mayor of London the power to decide on all new applications for lane rental schemes in London boroughs, aiming to accelerate the rollout from autumn 2026. Councillor Stuart Neaverson, Merton Council's Cabinet Member for Transport and Clean Streets, said it is very frustrating when utility companies occupy vital road space for days or weeks, causing disruption to residents. These new powers will help the borough hold utility companies accountable by charging them daily for carrying out roadworks, noting that pilots in other parts of the UK have shown this can significantly shorten the duration of roadworks, while also enabling the borough to invest more in the road network for things residents care about, such as fixing potholes.
Councillor James Slater, Camden Council's Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainable Development, said the borough has done extensive preparation for the scheme, which will apply alongside the existing permit scheme to the most traffic-sensitive parts of Camden's road network, covering around one-fifth of roads, thereby reducing disruption, improving journey reliability, and supporting cleaner air and healthier streets. The lane rental scheme is part of TfL's broader 'London in Action' strategy, which sets out plans to transform the capital's road network over the coming years by reducing congestion and deploying new technologies to manage roadworks more effectively.
