From November 5, power, water and phone firms will have to apply to Bracknell Forest Council for permission to lay cables and pipes or carry out repairs in the borough.

At present, they just have to let the council know about their plans.

The change will come about as the council has joined the South East Permit Scheme which forces utility companies to apply for a permit for work.

The permit scheme demands that utility companies ‘book’ their time in the road with dates, times and conditions. The council will be able to impose conditions to permits, ensuring the works are carried out efficiently.

Cllr Chris Turrell, Bracknell Forest Council’s executive member for transport and planning, said: “This street works permit scheme is a huge boost to everyone who drives around the borough. It will help us to better co-ordinate and manage all the works undertaken by utilities companies.

“It will make companies think twice about digging up the road so often because it will cost them to do so.

“It will encourage them to collaborate and we can demand the work is carried out in a way that minimises disruption to road users.” In the event of an emergency repair, the utility company will start carrying out the work immediately and has a two-hour window (or by 10am the following day if the work started out of office hours) to apply retrospectively for a permit. In addition, if the emergency happens on a major, busy route the company has to inform the permit authority immediately so the information gets out as soon as possible to drivers.

The council says similar permit schemes have proved successful in other areas in reducing the amount of congestion as utility companies work more closely together.

The scheme for the borough has become law under the Traffic Management (Bracknell Forest Council) Permit Scheme Order 2014.

The Government’s roads minister Robert Goodwill said: “Roadworks may be necessary, but they can be incredibly frustrating for people when they get stuck in traffic jams.

“That is why we have given Bracknell Forest Council the power and the freedom to take greater control of how road works are organised and co-ordinated. This will not only help to reduce congestion in and around their road network but will provide a better service to road users.” Wokingham Borough Council is among other councils consulting on proposals to join the South East Permit Scheme.