Utilities: Repairs and Maintenance
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 88113 on Utilities: Repairs and Maintenance, if he will publish statistics from Street Manager on the misuse of immediate permits.
Answered by Simon Lightwood
As previously communicated to the Honourable Member, analysis of data from Street Manager has not indicated any widespread misuse of immediate permits. Since 2021, the proportion of immediate permits issued for emergency and urgent works has remained consistently within the range of 35% to 40%:
2021–22: 36.9%,
2022–23: 35.2%,
2023–24: 37.6%,
2024–25: 38.2%.
This year-on-year consistency suggests that immediate permits are being used appropriately and for legitimate operational needs. This conclusion is supported by engagement with both industry representatives and local authorities. The primary users of immediate permits across the periods were water companies, undertaking urgent repairs to leaks and restoring customer connections in accordance with regulatory requirements, and Highway Authorities, addressing hazardous potholes to ensure public safety. Details of Street Manager’s Open Data Overview is publicly accessible online.
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