A Private Member's Bill proposed by Conservative MP Christopher Fraser is being discussed in the House of Commons on Friday.

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It calls for greater co-ordination between companies digging up the road, so that work can be carried out by more than one utility at a time if necessary.

It would also introduce a system of strict deadlines for completion, backed up with fines for being late.

Mr Fraser said the delays caused by roadworks were costing road users �100m a year.

He said: "I call on the government to honour its White Paper pledge to reduce the impact caused by street works by backing the Bill.

The Commons will discuss the Private Member's Bill

"If they do not, environmental damage, accidents, delays and congestion on highways will continue to rise to even more unacceptable levels."

The RAC and the Pedestrians' Association are urging MPs to give it their support.

"Utility companies have been given a free hand in digging up streets for too long," said RAC campaigns head Edmund King.

"All road-users and pedestrians are suffering at the hands of these companies and this Bill will encourage the co-ordination of street works and will put pressure on the companies to speed up their work."

Compensation claims up

Ben Plowden, Director of the Pedestrians' Association, said: "Pedestrians are fed up with utility excavations.

"Holes are dug and then left gathering litter for weeks, often with poor fencing and no alternative route provided."

RAC research has shown that most local authorities have at least 20,000 requests by utility companies a year to undertake street works.

Last year, there was a 56% rise in the number of claims from road-users for accidents or damage to their vehicles caused by potholes and cracked roads.