Risk news

Road works carried out by councils will now be governed by the same safety regulations as those undertaken by utilities companies.

Under the new measures unveiled by transport minister Sadiq Khan, councils must now provide information - such as a contact telephone number and details of who is completing the work - for all such projects.

Furthermore, he revealed that anyone carrying out maintenance and other work to the highways of the UK will have to meet tougher standards of safety provision for disabled people.

For instance, they will need to ensure that wheelchair users have a way to move around any obstructions easily.

Mr Khan said he was "sick and tired" of excuses about the inability to complete road works without more consideration for the public.

"It is not acceptable for works to be badly signed, left in a dangerous state or put in place without a thought for the needs of road users," he added.

Earlier this month, the minister said local authorities and city policymakers must be bolder when planning transport improvements in order to improve safety and help the environment.

Do you have responsibility for the management of your company's fleet? If you do, you may find our Roadsense website a useful resource.