Openreach fined maximum £50,000 for roadworks failings

Scottish Road Works Commissioner Angus Carmichael has said Openreach’s continued failings were “completely unacceptable” as he fined it a maximum £50,000 for the third time for failings.

The penalty followed checks over whether roads were reinstated with the correct materials, layer depths and compaction after being dug up.

BT Group’s digital network business was fined £38,500 in 2012, £30,000 in 2014 and £50,000 in 2017 for similar failings.

The utility firm was also fined £50,000 in 2013 for separate failings, involving unsafe working practices in the Highlands that left gaping holes in pavementswithoutbarriersor signs. The latest failings were found across Scotland, including Edinburgh.

Other firms that failed the checks were Virgin Media, which was fined £34,000. Last Mile Asset Management and ES Pipelines were also fined £3,000, and Network Rail and GTC £2,000.

Mr Carmichael said the failings were “completely unacceptable and I hope these penalties serve as a clear warning”.

He said: “All organisations penalised have provided assurances that processes are being modified to demonstrate early improvement.

“My office will continue to scrutinise their performance closely.

“Failed reinstatements reduce the serviceable life of the road, leading to further roadworks to replace the failed sections, additional costs to roads authorities and unnecessary disruption and inconvenience to road users.

“I am extremely disappointed with the poor performance of a number of utility companies.” He added: “Despite ongoing engagement with senior management in Openreach, acting on behalf of BT, performance has not improved to the required standard of 90 per cent, with the organisation recording substandard results.”

Neil Greig, the Scotlandbased policy and research manager of motoring group IAM Roadsmart, said: “The fines probably won’t have much impact financially on these big organisations, but the public naming and shaming should.”

Brendan Dick, chair of the Openreach board in Scotland, said: “Our pass rate has increased from 69 per cent in 2015/16 to 78 per cent in 2018/19 but we recognise this still isn’t good enough.”