Two thirds of urgent utility works by water firms

Almost two thirds of emergency utility roadworks in Surrey were carried out by water firms in the last year, council documents say.

The report also said demands from utilities companies to dig up roads in the county are amongst the highest in the UK, with about 72 works being carried out every day over 12 months.

Cabinet member for highways, transport and economic growth at Surrey County Council (SCC), Matt Furniss, said works were "all too often" having a negative impact on people.

SES Water said it is investing to modernise its network, while other companies which provide water in Surrey - South East Water, Thames Water and Affinity Water - have also been approached for a comment.

SCC said water companies account for 64% of the total number of utility emergency works in the county.

Councillor Furniss said: "Whilst we recognise that works on the highway carried out by utility companies are necessary, these works are all too often impacting negatively on Surrey road users.

"We're working with (the companies) to drive better traffic management, better coordination, and better resident communication.

"This has seen a 37% reduction in the days utility companies are working on and impacting Surrey's road network."

Councillor Furniss added that other measures, including a lane rental scheme, better signage and an increase in inspections, were also making a difference and that SCC had written to the Department for Transport (DfT) about making changes to reduce the impact of emergency utility works.

A task force involving representatives from water, energy and telecoms firms has been set up to reduce the impact of roadworks.

Streetworks UK, the trade association for utilities companies, previously said that firms and contractors work to the highest standards and comply with highways authorities on inspections.

At a cabinet meeting, the leader of SCC, Tim Oliver, said the situation is "massively frustrating for all residents", while deputy leader, Denise Turner-Stewart, said there is a lot of public interest.

"It's not just economic development or growth, it's also people's health appointments, people trying to get their children to school," she said.

A spokesperson for SES Water said: "We're investing over the next five years to modernise our network – this includes reducing pipe bursts by 8%, rolling out smart monitoring technology, and replacing aging infrastructure before it fails.

"We're also working closely with Surrey County Council and other utilities to better plan and coordinate works."

A DfT spokesperson said: "We know road works can be frustrating, which is why we are cracking down on utility companies and increasing fines for them if their works overrun or they fail to leave roads in a good condition."

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