Executive Summary
1. When utilities exercise their statutory access to the road they allege inconsistent application of "reasonable conditions" by local authorities; in turn local authorities allege poor-quality re-instatement of roads by utilities. Other disquiet arises from inconsistencies in utility statues creating advantages for some operators. The preferred option is to make utility legislation consistent where appropriate and to provide a legislated process to give legal status to a stakeholder-created c for managing access to the road, and motorway and rail corridor, and a regulated code if considered necessary. The impacts of legislative change are that some parties will face increased compliance and resource costs, but greater benefits arise from the more certain regulatory environment for investment decisions, and the improvement in the management and co-ordination of utility works in road, rail and motorways. The process of engagement between stakeholders in agreeing a Code of practice should produce better outcomes for all parties.
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