Utility firms to be forced to guarantee road repairs for 5 years

6 March 2019

The Government has launched a consultation which could see utility companies forced to guarantee their road repairs for five years, in a bid to tackle potholes on England’s roads. Currently, companies have to make sure repairs last for two years, with fines if they fail to meet the requirement, but the Government wants to extend that guarantee to five years, and to require the company to return to fix the road surface.

Launching an eight week consultation on the plans, which also include tougher asphalt standards, Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, said, “Potholes are the biggest enemy for road users and this government is looking at all options to keep our roads in the best condition.”

AA president Edmund King noted that ruts left by poorly-reinstated trenches “cause expensive damage to vehicle tyres and wheels but can be fatal for those on two wheels.”

The consultation on a new edition of the ‘Specification for the reinstatement of openings in highways’, a statutory code of practice for street works on Monday 6th May.

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