A scheme which could see utility companies charged up to £2,500 a day to dig up the roads could be introduced in Cumbria.

The man in charge of Cumbria County Council's highways brief, Keith Little, said the idea could be rolled out in the region following a successful trial in London and the south east.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has just announced plans to allow local authorities to charge utility firms in the hope it will reduce congestion and disruption on busy streets. The idea has been called the lane rental scheme.

Pilots in London and Kent led to a reduction in traffic jams as firms were incentivised to work on quieter roads or outside the rush hour, according to the DfT.

The charges also encourage companies to collaborate with each other to stop roads being dug up multiple times.

Labour's Mr Little said: "It's something we are very interested in.

"We are interested in working with the utility companies and seeing what the opportunity is."

There is however, some behind the scenes work which must be completed first before the council will be eligible to launch any scheme.

Mr Little also warned that any money raised could end up being taken off the council in the long run and hit consumers.

"At the end of the day it will cost the utility companies money and that will get passed back on to the consumers like ourselves," he added.

"I don't believe any utility company stops at a scheme longer than they should be because that just ties them up and costs money."

Mr Little hopes that any money raised through the scheme would be spent on upgrading the county's road network but also said it could lead to a reduction in the council's grant from central Government, as Whitehall chiefs see another income stream for local authorities.

Transport minister Jo Johnson said: "Drivers often see red when roadworks cause them delays, especially if no one is working on them.

"Lane rental has seen a massive drop in disruption to drivers as utility companies have changed when and where they carry out work.

"Now we want millions of motorists around England to get the same benefits."