Brighton and Hove City Council's Cabinet has approved traffic camera enforcement at five locations in the city, and has noted plans for a lane rental scheme that would charge utility companies up to £2,500 a day for roadworks on the busiest roads at peak times.
Both were in one Cabinet report on managing the transport network, discussed on Thursday 12 November. The council's decision notice says the decisions take effect at close of business on 20 November unless they are called in.
Five locations for moving traffic cameras
Cabinet approved moving traffic enforcement at the first five locations, where the council says restrictions are regularly ignored:
- Carden Avenue onto Carden Crescent: one-way street restriction
- London Road onto New England Road: prohibited left turn
- Ditchling Road onto Baker Street: prohibited left turn
- West Street onto Rottingdean High Street: prohibited right turn
- Francis Street: motor vehicle prohibition, except for access
The locations followed a six-week public consultation. The council says most respondents supported camera enforcement. Its consultation summary shows support varied by location:
- Rottingdean High Street and West Street: 71.8% in favour, 23.8% against (206 responses)
- Carden Crescent and Carden Avenue: 54.8% in favour, 39.5% against (124 responses)
- Francis Street and Ditchling Road: 52.6% in favour, 39.1% against (133 responses)
- Ditchling Road and Baker Street: 50% in favour, 42% against (112 responses)
- London Road and New England Road: 47.3% in favour, 43.4% against (129 responses)
London Road and New England Road was the only location where support was below half of respondents.
A targeted approach, with warnings first
Cabinet also approved a citywide policy on how the powers are used. The council says enforcement will only be introduced where there is clear evidence of safety concerns, congestion or repeated non-compliance. The policy includes public consultation, awareness raising and warning periods before penalties are issued.
Cabinet delegated authority to the Corporate Director for City Operations to approve future locations, in consultation with the lead member for transport.
Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet Member for Transport and City Infrastructure:
"Evidence led enforcement will help make our roads safer and ensure existing traffic restrictions are respected.
"They're in place for a very good reason, whether that's protecting people walking and cycling, improving road safety, reducing congestion or keeping traffic moving.
"We've already seen significant improvements in compliance at our School Streets sites and we're now developing a clear, transparent framework for how these powers should be used in future.
"This isn't about widespread enforcement. It's about taking a targeted approach, focusing on locations where there is evidence of ongoing problems and where action can deliver real benefits for residents, businesses and everyone travelling around the city."
Lane rental: up to £2,500 a day for roadworks at peak times
Cabinet noted an update on a lane rental scheme. Under it, utility companies and contractors would be charged for carrying out works on key routes at the busiest times of day.
The council receives around 20,000 permit applications a year for work on the road network from gas, water, electricity and telecommunications companies, as well as council teams and contractors. At the moment the maximum penalty for breaching permit conditions is £120 a day. Under lane rental, companies could face charges of up to £2,500 a day on the busiest roads during peak hours.
The council says lane rental schemes already operate in Kent and London. Emergency roadworks in Brighton and Hove currently take around 20 days on average to complete. In areas with lane rental, the council says the average is between two and five days.
Any income from the scheme would be reinvested in transport projects across the city. It needs approval from the Secretary of State and could be introduced as early as spring 2027.
Councillor Trevor Muten:
"Roadworks are one of the biggest causes of frustration for residents and can have a significant impact on local businesses and journeys across the city.
"A lane rental scheme would encourage utility companies and contractors to work more efficiently, coordinate better with one another and complete works more quickly, helping to keep Brighton & Hove moving.
"Just as importantly, any income generated would be reinvested into local transport improvements, delivering additional benefits for residents and visitors."
Sources
Brighton and Hove City Council news release, 6 November 2026. Cabinet agenda and decisions, 12 November 2026, item "Managing the Transport Network". Press enquiries: news@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
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