Thames water fined thousands for dangerous road works
Published 16 February 2012
Thames Water has been taken to court four times and fined £4,000 in the last year for carrying out dangerous road works in Southwark, figures reveal today.
Council chiefs have successfully prosecuted the utility company for offences ranging from failing to give notice before carrying out roadworks to "maintaining a dangerous site" with inadequate safety measures.
UK Power Network comes second on the newly published league table with three convictions and fines of £2,750.
Southern Gas Network finds itself in third place with two convictions and fines of £4,500, also for working dangerously and not giving statutory notice of intention to work.
In total, utility companies in Southwark were fined more than £11,000 and ordered to pay more than £8,000 in prosecution costs between January 2011 to end of January 2012.
The figures were released by Southwark Council on the day the Authority is taking building contractor Clare Vale to court for closing Union Street for four hours in September last year without permission.
Councillor Barrie Hargrove, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "It is unacceptable that some utility and building companies feel they can run roughshod over our communities and cause chaos on our roads.
"Time and again a number of them fail to tell us what they intend to do, work dangerously and cause all sorts of disruption to transport and services. All of these prosecutions could have been avoided with some forewarning and more care and attention."
Under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 utility companies are legally required to notify the council of any proposed works on the public highway within the Southwark.
All works carried out on the public highway should also be done in a safe manner and be compliant with the national street works code of practice.
Failure to adhere to these requirements can cause immediate danger to the general public and to the site operatives themselves.
Southwark joined the London Permit Scheme in September last year. The council will continue to bring charges against utility companies who fail to comply with the legislation to help improve the coordination of street works, health and safety and reduce congestion.
