Unsafe roadworks around Shropshire lead to £43,000 court bill for energy company
An energy company has been ordered to pay more than £40,000 over poor management of roadworks in the county.
National Grid pleaded guilty to 11 charges at Telford Magistrates Court relating to roadworks across the county, including Shrewsbury, and Ackleton near Bridgnorth.
Shropshire Council, which brought the prosecutions, said the firm had been responsible for 'unacceptable and unsafe implementation of traffic management measures across Shropshire'.
The charges relate to work carried out between September 2023 and February 2024 when National Grid failed to adequately sign, light and guard work they were carrying out, and failed to provide appropriate pedestrian access.
The offences were contrary to Section 65 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and arose from complaints from the public and site inspections by Shropshire Council’s highway inspectors.
The penalty for all offences was £36,850, plus costs of £5032.38, and a victim surcharge of £2,000 – a total of £43,882.38
Chris Schofield, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for planning and regulatory services, said: “Shropshire Council is responsible for regulating works taking place on our network of roads and any avoidable breaches that disrupt the flow of traffic and safety of the network are taken extremely seriously, as this prosecution shows.
“We hope this prosecution serves as a warning to all utilities companies, and reassures road users that we will take action against companies that break the law.”
