First QWIRC (Quick Win Innovation to reduce Congestion) Note Published

Date: 2/2/2012

The annual cost to the UK economy resulting from congestion caused by utility street works has been estimated at £4.3 Billion and this figure does not include the congestion costs associated with road maintenance works undertaken by local authorities. In London alone, the annual cost of congestion resulting from both street and road works is estimated to be £750M, of which at least £300M occurs on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). Thus there is a clear need to develop and promote the use of innovative methods and techniques that could reduce the congestion resulting from these works.

Further incentive for the use of innovative techniques to reduce traffic congestion will arise from the Lane Rental Scheme which is due to be introduced by TfL in June 2012. The charge to those excavating in the carriageway will be based on the length of time that the carriageway is unavailable to traffic during peak periods and therefore any techniques that can reduce the loss of lanes to traffic (and thereby reduce the charge) will be of benefit.

In June 2011 TRL began work on an 18-month project, jointly funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL), to investigate three techniques that might be used to reduce congestion and, hence, lane rental charges. These are: Plating and bridging systems to cover excavations in the carriageway; Temporary backfill materials to fill openings in carriageways, thereby opening the road to traffic at certain times during the works; and Rapid-cure materials for permanent reinstatements, thereby shortening the duration of the works and associated congestion. The project is also reviewing other techniques that reduce the occupation time on the highway. Guidance information that can help the industry is being publicised through QWIRC (Quick win Innovation to reduce Congestion) Notes.

The first Note, QWIRC1, is on the use of Core and Vac, a technique that can significantly reduce the duration of some works. You can download a copy by clicking here