Major new powers to clear roads of traffic delays, including the introduction of uniformed jam-buster patrols, have been welcomed in Swansea. Council cabinet member for technical services, Mike Hedges, said there were major problems in the city with congestion caused by ill-planned roadworks carried out by water, gas and electricity companies.

Now the Government aims to make these a thing of the past with a series of radical, congestion-busting measures.

The Department of Transport has unveiled a traffic management bill that will give Welsh councils far-reaching new powers and responsibilities to keep roads clear, to minimise the disruption caused by roadworks, and to keep traffic moving smoothly.

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling said the new powers would enable councils to manage when and where street works are carried out.

He said he believed they would end congestion caused by poorly planned and lengthy works.

"The bill will give councils powers and a duty to keep roads clear and traffic moving,'' said Mr Darling.

"They will now have to focus more sharply on tackling causes of congestion and disruption.''

The Government also intends to give the Highways Agency powers to manage incidents on motorways with new "jam- buster patrols''.

"It will mean motorists caught up in traffic due to road accidents or obstructions should benefit from a more targeted and faster clear-up response,'' said Mr Darling.

"Traffic officers will be on the scene following road incidents to work with police to clear the road as quickly as possible.''

Councils will appoint their own traffic manager responsible for keeping traffic moving.

They will also be given greater control over when and where utility companies carry out street works to minimise disruption.

In addition, councils will have powers to specify which route roadworks should follow and to decide which day of the week and at which times works can be carried out.

They will also be able to prevent roads from being dug up repeatedly by banning works on a particular route until a specified date.

Councillor Hedges said the new powers would help to resolve traffic congestion problems in Swansea.

"I am aware of the problems here in Swansea and when I am driving around South Wales,'' he said.

"The are substantial problems with services digging up roads. I have experienced this where I live in Glyncollen Drive, Morriston, which has been dug up seven times in the past 10 years by Transco.

"Obviously the work has to be done but it could often be managed much more effectively.

''There have been problems with the new water main project between the Crai Reservoir and Townhill, which has caused significant disruption,'' he added.

''The roadworks do not seem to have been carried out logically.

"I am also concerned at the standard of restoration carried out by the utility companies after they have completed the repair.''

Street works are estimated to cost road users in the UK £2 billion a year in delays. There are already laws which aim to control the disruption caused by roadworks but since they were introduced 12 years ago there has been a big increase in the number of utility companies that are allowed to dig up roads.

"These companies only have to say they are carrying out an emergency repair to avoid having it monitored by the local authority,'' said Councillor Hedges.

"I have no proof that the work is not always an emergency but there are certainly many people who are suspicious.''

The RAC Foundation for Motoring, an independent body that represents the interests of motorists in the UK, has also welcomed the increase in powers.

Executive director Edmund King said: "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.''

The utilities' representative group, The National Joint Utilities Group, admits street work can cause major disruption. But it says every effort is made to minimise inconvenience.

The group has set up a programme called Streetwise which consists of practical steps the utility companies can take to minimise disruption.

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

Under the new powers they will have to apply for a permit if they want to carry out street works.

And any utility company that fails to repair a road properly will face fines of up to £5,000.

They will also have to put right any sub-standard work.