Hertfordshire County Council has confirmed that fines for unplanned or poorly managed roadworks will double from the New Year, following pressure on the Department for Transport to toughen penalties for utility companies.

The move comes as the county experiences around 60,000 roadworks every year, many of them carried out by utility firms. While most are completed properly, the council says poorly managed works – including those carried out without a permit or where temporary traffic lights are left in place unnecessarily – continue to cause major delays for drivers across Hertfordshire, including in Hitchin's busy town centre routes such as Nightingale Road, London Road and the A505 corridor.

Penalties doubled from January

After raising concerns in September, Hertfordshire County Council has now received confirmation that it can impose higher fines from early 2026. These are the new charges:

Regulation 19 – Working Without a Permit

• Standard fine: rising from £500 → £1,000
• Discounted fine (if paid within 29 days): £300 → £600
• New payment deadline: 36 calendar days

Regulation 20 – Breaching Permit Conditions

• Standard fine: £120 → £240
• Discounted fine: £80 → £160
• New payment deadline: 36 calendar days

The council says the tougher penalties will give it greater power to act on behalf of local residents and businesses when roadworks cause unnecessary disruption.

'I felt compelled to act on behalf of residents'

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Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst OBE, Executive Member for Highways, said the increase is vital for keeping Hertfordshire's roads moving: "Too often companies who undertake works on our roads do so with little consideration for the negative impact they can have, especially when those works are done without permission or when they fail to remove temporary traffic lights. That is why I felt compelled to act on behalf of residents."

He added: "I welcome confirmation from the Department for Transport that from the New Year, penalties for unplanned or substandard works will be doubled. Roads are the arteries that keep our county moving and I'll continue to use every lever available to make sure we have the best road network in the country."

Impact on Hitchin

The changes are expected to benefit towns like Hitchin, where even small delays caused by unmanaged works can create congestion at key junctions including Paynes Park, Walsworth Road and the Grove Road roundabout.

Hertfordshire County Council says it hopes the tougher approach will encourage utility companies to plan better, reduce last-minute works and improve communication with residents.