Understanding the Scottish Road Works Register Fee Regulations for 2025

The Scottish Government has introduced new regulations—the Scottish Road Works Register (Prescribed Fees) Regulations 2025—that set the fees for accessing the Scottish Road Works Register for the financial year 2025-26. This comes as part of ongoing efforts to streamline road work coordination in Scotland, ensuring minimal disruption to businesses and road users.

Key Objectives and Changes

These regulations aim to update the fee structure for accessing the Scottish Road Works Register, a vital tool that allows road authorities and utility companies to plan and coordinate road works efficiently. By revoking the previous year's fee regulations, the new rules set the fee at £1,008,819 for 2025-26, covering all anticipated operational and training costs.

Background and Importance

The Register, maintained by the Scottish Road Works Commissioner, acts as a central hub for road work notifications, mandated under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005. It facilitates cooperation between road authorities and utility companies, known as Statutory Undertakers, by providing a shared platform for managing road work schedules and minimizing traffic disruptions.

Consultation and Feedback

Between October and December 2024, a public consultation gathered input from various stakeholders, including councils and utility firms. While most respondents supported the fee proposal, some utility companies expressed concerns about the cost-sharing model, which requires them to cover 65% of the fees. Despite these concerns, the Roads Authorities and Utilities Committee (Scotland) has maintained the existing cost-sharing model.

Impact and Compliance

The regulations have been assessed for their compatibility with children's rights and equality frameworks and found to have no adverse impacts. Financially, the new fee structure is considered proportionate, ensuring that the operational costs of the Register are adequately covered.

In essence, these regulations are a routine update designed to keep the Scottish Road Works Register running smoothly, continuing its role in reducing road work-related disruptions across the country.