Calls for tougher controls over roadworks could be answered by the Government later this month when it is expected to unveil radical new plans in the Queen's Speech to Parliament. JONATHAN ISAACS looks at what the proposals might entail and what is already being done to ease traffic flows.

Road Tsars could soon be on the way to control the chaos caused when telecom, gas, water and electricity companies dig up roads. The Government is planning a crackdown on problems caused by street works which are estimated to cost road users in the UK £2 billion a year in delays. The Queen's Speech later this month is expected to include a new Bill that will tackle the worst of the problems.

One of the ideas is to appoint Road Tsars who would co-ordinate the work and minimise disruption to road users.

There are already laws which aim to control disruption caused by roadworks but when they were introduced 12 years ago there were only a handful of utility companies that were allowed to dig up the highway. Since then the gas and electricity industry has been deregulated and now as many as 150 companies do the work.

They only have to say the job is an emergency to avoid having it monitored by the local authority.

The RAC Foundation for Motoring, an independent body that represents the interests of UK motorists, has been campaigning for a tougher line. Local authorities can fine utility companies up to £2,000 if they overstay their welcome when digging up roads but the foundation claims the utilities exaggerate the time needed to undertake their work to avoid payment.

"We need tougher legislation to act as a catalyst for better co-ordination,'' claimed the foundation's executive director, Edmund King. "If the utility companies cannot be trusted to give honest estimates of the duration of their work then they should be charged from the first day they start digging up the road.''

Mr King added: "For far too long the utilities have been given a free hand to dig holes in the road and have given little consideration to extensive and expensive traffic delays that result.''

A new study for the Department of Transport estimates there are at least 1.1 million street works every year in the UK. Many cause long delays for motorists and play havoc with public transport. There are also huge indirect costs estimated at £2 billion a year to business, local communities, society, government and the environment resulting from delays, disruption and congestion.

At present councils have no powers to stop a gas, electricity, water or telecoms provider from digging up a road. They are given 28 days notice if the job is a large one and likely to cause significant disruption.

Now the Government is proposing new legislation to give councils greater powers over roadworks. As well as the Road Tsars, the Government is considering forcing companies that want to dig up roads to get written permission first. Councils might also be able to stop utilities starting roadworks at busy times such as the Christmas period and a congestion charge could be introduced if skips and scaffolding cause problems.

The utilities are aware that their work can cause major disruption and say they do all they can to minimise the inconvenience. For example, more than four kilometres of gas pipeline is being replaced by Transco in Baglan this autumn in a £240,000 project that is expected to take 18 weeks. Transco network officer Paul Morgan said they had worked closely with Neath Port Talbot Council's highways department to ensure traffic flowed as smoothly as possible during this time.

"We realise how disruptive such roadworks can be but I would like to assure residents that we will do anything we can to minimise any disruption and inconvenience,'' he said.

Transco said it works closely with interested parties to look at ways in which inconvenience can be minimised. It pointed out that a recent Transport Research Laboratory report identified the causes of traffic congestion as 65 per cent a result of traffic itself, 25 per cent incidents, and only 10 per cent roadworks split up equally between local authorities and the utilities.

Even so the gas, water, electricity and telecom companies say they take their responsibilities seriously. They have formed the National Joint Utilities Group to explore ways they can all co-operate to help overcome difficulties caused by roadworks.

The group opposes any further laws to crackdown on digging up roads and claims the Government's proposed legislation is like the proverbial sledgehammer to crack a nut.

It has set up a programme called Streetwise which consists of practical steps utilities can take to minimise disruption caused by roadworks. It includes a charter governing safety, best practice ideas, improved communication and developing practical solutions to street works problems.

Streetwise pledges to give councils the maximum possible advance notice about roadworks, to meet safety requirements and keep sites as tidy as possible, and to complete the work by the agreed time.

It also promises to minimise the impact on the environment and pledges to develop and use new techniques to reduce disruption.