The Department for Transport (DfT) has issued new guidance to local authorities across England and Wales regarding best practice to help to reduce levels of congestion caused by roads maintenance in their area.

Government figures estimate that local economies lose as much as £4.3 billion a year as a result of congestion caused by roadworks and therefore steps are now being taken to help to reduce this figure and ensure road users are able to reach their destination without disruption from scheduled works.

A total of seven traffic advisory leaflets have now been produced by the DfT in partnership with Transport for London, with a focus on employing new techniques to reduce the overall time needed to complete projects.

The new documents cover such areas as the use of new core and vac techniques for roads maintenance, the benefits of hydraulically-bound mixtures, cementitious mixtures, temporary backfill at roadworks sites, the mapping of underground assets and the implementation of extended working hours to more efficiently complete works.

Transport minister Robert Goodwill commented: "Delays on our roads are not only a headache for motorists but are costing our economy billions of pounds a year. These leaflets will be an indispensable guide to those people working on our roads, providing top tips for getting the job done safely and on time."

Leon Daniels, managing director of surface transport at Transport for London, concluded: "These new traffic advisory leaflets will help pass on valuable lessons to allow utility companies and other highway authorities across the UK to reduce congestion and keep the UK moving."

He added poorly planned roads maintenance schemes can have a considerable impact on the efficiency of transport networks and therefore tackling this issue is of primary importance if the nation as a whole is to undergo a sustainable economic recovery in the coming years.