Firms hit with £300k bill for roadwork delays

Traffic cones lined up on roads, barriers installed on paths and diversions set up seemingly for weeks on end.

Roadworks and repairs to pavements are at the centre of endless concerns - especially those which overrun adding to the misery.

And councils have charged utilities companies more than £300,000 for failing to keep to targets for work to be done.

Almost 900 days have been lost as roadworks overrun in the past two years, according to figures obtained by the Express & Star.

One of the longest delays happened in Willenhall when a hole was left in a road for 114 days after a job was completed.

• Laurel Road, Dudley, 127 days, failure to refill a hole on a footway, Western Power Distribution, charge £12,700.

• Park Road, Willenhall, 114 days, refilling a hole left after works were completed, Severn Trent Water, charge £28,500 reduced to £500.

• Hillbank, Tividale, 57 days, unknown works, South Staffs Water, charge £7,467.

• Riley Street, Willenhall, 36 days, Western Power Distribution, charge £9,000.

Severn Trent Water said it was an 'unfortunate situation' due to a mix up with another utility company.

Utilities companies have racked up charges of £329,367 during the past two years, according to figures obtained in a Freedom of Information request.

Council officials can impose section 74 charges under Street Works regulations on companies for works which has overrun. They say the cash charges goes back into road maintenance projects.

Different charge rates apply due to a range of factors including the duration of the works.

Some charges were reduced following negotiations between the respective councils and utilities companies.

The largest charges imposed were by Dudley Council which served bills to companies totalling £139,300.

In total the works over ran by 334 days across 145 different roadworks projects which took place across the borough.

The longest delays were caused in Laurel Road, on the Priory estate, in Dudley, which overran by 127 days.

In this case officials say Western Power Distribution, which manages power supplies, had failed to re-instate a footway after completion of their work.

This had left a hole in the footpath which was covered with temporary boarding. The works ran from May 22, 2014, to November 18, 2014 and the company was charged £12,700.

Dudley councillor Hilary Bills, who oversees road maintenance works, said: "The council does not have the ability to control the timescales of the work undertaken by utility companies, however we are able to challenge projected timescales when initial applications are made to ensure that they are realistic and cause the minimum of disruption.

Sandwell Council was forced to fine companies due to a total overrun of of 229 days. The total bill came to £50,717.

Road works overran by 57 days in Hillbank, Tividale, carried out by South Staffs Water, resulting in a charge of £7,467.

Works over run from May 31, 2014, to September 22, 2014.

Sandwell Council leader, Councillor Darren Cooper, said: "Companies are only to quick to get in touch when they want a bill paid.

"It is only right that the could has the chance to impose charges if these works overrun."

Walsall Council has charged companies £45,000 over the past two years for leaving works incomplete.

These overrunning works totalled 193 days over the years 2013/14 and 2014/15.

Walsall Council's deputy leader, Councillor Adrian Andrew, said: "If companies do not stick to their timeframes then there has to be consequences.

"There must be more joined up thinking between companies to minimise disruption."

Staffordshire County Council charged £15,000 for jobs in south Staffordshire, Stafford, Cannock and Lichfield - 25 days in total.

County councillor Mark Deaville said: "We work closely with utility companies to ensure any work they carry out is coordinated with other projects and with the least disruption to the public as possible."

Worcestershire County Council said it charged £79,350 for overrunning jobs across Wyre Forest, Hagley, Clent and Harvington.

This came to a total of 114 days over deadlines.

Councillor John Smith, who oversees highways Highways, said: "The legislation was designed to encourage utilities to complete their works in a timely manner and the charges are meant to act as a deterrent so that works are not unreasonably prolonged."

Among the companies which had delays to complete roadworks was Severn Trent Water.

Spokeswoman Sarah-Jayne O'Kane said: "We try really hard to make sure that our projects run to time.

"To do this there's a lot of advance planning involved, including work with different parties, such as the Highways Agency and local councils, to make sure that what we want and need to do can be achieved."

She said the company was made aware of the problem with the open hole in Willenhall on the 113th day and 'rectified this as soon as possible'. Initially the company was charged £28,500 but this was later revisied to £500 following discussions.

Wolverhampton City Council claimed the costs of investigating the freedom if information request would exceed the cost limits and did not make a response.