BT has been fined more than £21,000 after the telecoms giant's workers dug in a street and left a gaping hole in the pavement. The firm were carrying out work last October that were deemed to break road safety rules because a hole and trench were left in the path.
Council officers visiting the site on October 5, 2022, found BT workers had left the area - and a open hole was still in the wrecked footpath. The firm was told to come back two hours later to make the area safe, but did not do so.
Workers also failed to close off the area being worked on with barriers, failed to fully fix the pavement that was dug up and did not cooperate with the Highways Authority. Anyone entering the site could have come to "considerable harm" as barriers were not in place, paving slabs had been damaged and laid unevenly and an open hole left exposed in the footway, the council said.
This damaged pavement and lack of fencing caused "multiple trip hazards to the public", the authority added. As a result, Kensington and Chelsea Council had to get their own contractor to visit the site and put barriers up to protect pedestrians passing by.
BT was charged with three offences under the New Roads and Street Works Act. At Westminster Magistrates Court on May 10, BT was fined £15,000 for the unsafe street works in Campden Street.
The company was also ordered to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge plus Kensington and Chelsea Council’s legal costs of £4,449.80 - making a total of £21,449.8 in fines and costs. Cllr Cem Kemahli, the council's lead member for planning, place and environment, said yesterday (Thurs): "Anyone who carries out works on our streets has a duty of care towards the public.
"We are striving for a safer Kensington and Chelsea and if companies fail to meet their responsibilities, we will step in to keep the public safe. This is a great result for our team who are working hard to educate and hold those responsible to account."
A spokeswoman for Openreach (formerly known as BT Openreach) that carried out the works, said: "We’re sorry that our partners didn’t meet our own high standards for street works on this occasion and we accept full responsibility.
"We are working with our partners to avoid the same mistakes happening again."
