UK Power Networks has been successfully prosecuted by Kensington and Chelsea Council for carrying out street works in the borough deemed unsafe and putting members of public at risk of harm.
UK Power Networks pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates Court to three charges brought by Kensington and Chelsea Council’s network management officers and were fined a total of £38,000 for offences including failure to comply with safety, failure to provide safe alternative routes for pedestrians and leaving the works area exposed to the public posing a risk of harm.
UK Power Networks were ordered to pay a £2,000 victim charge and £12,793.31 towards Council’s legal costs. The offences took place between March 2023 and November 2023 in Ladbroke Grove, Cornwall Crescent and Southwell Gardens and were charged under Section 65 of the New Roads and Works Act.
Cllr Cem Kemahli, Lead Member for Planning and Public Realm said: “Utility companies have a legal duty to ensure that street works are carried out safely and protect the public from risk of harm. The Council’s network management team have a robust inspection regime to ensure work is carried out correctly and safely.
“We will continue to take necessary action against those utility companies who do not meet the safety standards that our residents expect and are entitled to.”
The Council says that since 2016, UK Power Networks have been prosecuted for seven offences by Kensington and Chelsea Council with fines totalling to £101,000 and legal costs of £13,656.28, while since 2015, UK Power Networks have been prosecuted for 15 street works related offences by London Authorities, including Transport for London with fines totalling to £151,500 and legal costs of £15,037.28.
In a statement issued to Highways News, UK Power Networks stated: “UK Power Networks regrets falling short of our usual high street works standards. We carry out around 13,700 excavations in London each year to maintain reliable power supplies for homes and businesses and connect and alter electricity supplies. Our teams work hard to maintain a safe environment for the public around our streetworks and we have stepped up our already high focus on compliance, including site audits and briefings.”
(Picture – Yay Images)
