The UK Transport Minister has proposed a ten-fold increase in daily fines for construction firms that overrun road works, as a measure to reduce road disruption caused by them.

The plan, aimed at encouraging companies to complete works on time, is to raise the existing maximum daily charge of £2,500 to as much as £25,000.

Transport Minister Sadiq Khan said the disruption being caused, and the constant inconvenience to the travelling public, is way beyond what should be acceptable.

I hope that this, along with more tough permit schemes around the country, will help us bring an end to the chaos that too often surrounds road works,” Khan said.

The minster has appealed to all local councils in all the major cities across the country to work with the government towards the plan.

The proposal was made during the Department for Transport’s recent summit on road works to study ways of better reducing the inconvenience to road users.