Thames Water has been ordered to pay more than £30,000 in fines and costs for offences related to non-compliance of road works permits and failing to co-operate with Enfield Council.
Heard in the Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on 19 September 2024, Thames Water pleaded guilty to street works violations including unauthorized road closures and providing false notifications of urgent street works, contravening both the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and the Traffic Management Permit Scheme (England) Regulations 2015.
The offences occurred on 7 and 12 December 2023 at Conway Road and Hazelwood Lane, where Thames Water failed to comply with permit requirements, causing significant disruption to residents and road users. The company provided inaccurate information regarding the urgency of the works and proceeded without the necessary road closure permits, further aggravating the inconvenience to the public.
Thames Water had falsely claimed that the works were of an immediate nature due to visible leaks; an Enfield Council Street Works Inspector could find no evidence of this.
Councillor Rick Jewell, Cabinet Member for Transport and Waste at Enfield Council, who was present at the hearing, commented on the prosecution: “This successful prosecution sends a clear message that Enfield Council will not tolerate companies that disregard the rules and cause unnecessary disruption to our community. We are committed to ensuring that public safety and convenience are prioritised in all street works. Thames Water’s actions not only contravened regulations but also created considerable inconvenience. I am proud of the Council’s efforts in holding them accountable, and I hope this serves as a deterrent to any other companies considering similar violations.”
It was the court’s view that the unauthorised road closures at Hazelwood Lane and Conway Road could have caused significant delays to emergency response times and in both situations the closures would not have been necessary, had the works been planned with the cooperation of the Council’s Street Works Team. In their summing up the magistrates accepted and acknowledged that Thames Water had pleaded guilty at their first opportunity.
The case underscores the Council’s commitment to enforcing the law and maintaining proper oversight of public works and network management duty as the highway and traffic authority. Enfield Council will continue to monitor street works rigorously, ensuring that companies adhere to all legal requirements and work collaboratively to minimize disruption to the public.
Prosecutor: London Borough of Enfield
Defendant: Thames Water Utilities Ltd
Conway Road N14 - 7 December 2023. Fined £10,000
Hazelwood Lane N13 - 12 December 2023. Fined £16,000
Costs awarded £2,709.73
Victim Surcharge £2,000
Total - £30,709.73