The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has successfully prosecuted Thames Water for carrying out unsafe street works in Seymour Walk between Earl's Court and Chelsea.
On 20 April, the utility provider was fined £10,000 and charged under section 65 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice (2013) for exposing members of the public to excavated ground, tools, materials and other hazards while undertaking works last summer.
Street works officers from RBKC visited Thames Water's work site in July of last year and found ‘serious safety failures'. According to the council, the company had failed to properly secure the site and had also failed to provide pedestrian provisions to allow people to navigate around the site safely.
After returning to the site the next day, council staff found that Thames Water had failed to correct the issues as instructed. The footway had been closed without a ‘safe and accessible' alternative being provided, and a ramp had been installed upside down, making it ‘unsuitable and potentially unsafe' for use.
RBKC also identified additional hazards, including a works vehicle parked on the footway, which blocked the path and access to properties, and a paving slab left standing upright on its edge, where it could have fallen and injured a pedestrian.
Beau Stanford-Francis, executive director of environment and neighbourhoods, said: ‘Utility companies have a clear legal duty to ensure that works on the highway are carried out safely and responsibly. Members of public should never be placed at risk because basic safety requirements have been ignored.
‘The Council expects the highest standards from companies working on our streets to minimise disruption. Where those standards are not met, we will not hesitate to take action.
‘This prosecution reflects our commitment to hold companies accountable and ensure our streets remain safe for everyone.'
A Thames Water spokesperson added: 'Ensuring the health and safety of our customers, the local communities in which we work and our employees is our top priority.
'We accept on this occasion our operations fell below the required standards. It is important to note we had two operatives on site at all times whenever there was a small gap in the barriers while work was carried out on the footpath to ensure there was no additional risk posed to the public.'
