Scottish Road Works Commissioner

The Scottish Road Works Commissioner (SRWC) is an independent public official whose role was established under section 16 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005. They are accountable to Scottish Ministers and ultimately the Scottish Parliament. The Transport Policy Division of Transport Scotland acts as sponsor body to the Office of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner. The SRWC’s aim is to improve the planning, coordination and quality of road works throughout Scotland.

‘Keeper’ of the Scottish Road Works Register (SRWR), the Commissioner monitors performance, promotes and encourages good practice across utility companies and roads authorities. The monitoring is at a strategic level and is related to how well the works are being planned and coordinated.

Coordination and planning of road works in Scotland is undertaken by Local  Authorities and utility companies by entering details of their planned works on the SRWR. The Commissioner has powers to impose financial penalties on Local Authorities who systematically fail in their duty to co-ordinate and upon utility companies who systematically fail to co-operate, when undertaking road works.

The title of Scottish Road Works Commissioner can lead people to assume that the SRWC is responsible for works which are undertaken on Scottish roads. The 32 Scottish Local Authorities (with Transport Scotland for trunk roads) have responsibility for the day to day management and coordination of works undertaken on the roads for which they have responsibility. The reinstatement of road surfaces remains the responsibility of the party undertaking the works.

Analysis of Response from the Consultation - Amendments to Scottish Road Works Regulations 2025

We asked for views a minor amendment to road works legislation in the online public consultation which ran from 22 October 2024 until 17 December 2024.

First on the proposal to revoke the Scottish Statutory Instrument, “The “Scottish Road Works Register (Prescribed Fees) Regulations 2024” and replace it with a new Regulation to account for the overall running cost in the 2025/26.

In total, nineteen responses to the consultation were received and these have been carefully considered. Most of the respondents supported the proposal to replace the 2024 Scottish Statutory Instrument. As a result, we will now revoke the Scottish Statutory Instrument.