'Public pays' for bad road repairs

Contractors digging up roads on behalf of utility companies are failing to patch them up properly, leaving councils to pay, it has been claimed.

Local authorities across the county paid a total of �70 million last year to repair roads which should have been left in a good condition by contractors, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).

The LGA, which represents 350 councils, suggested utility companies could pay a deposit in advance of roadworks, to make it easier for councils to recoup the cost of damage caused by poor repairs.

Leicester City Council transport spokesman Abdul Osman joined calls for councils to be given more powers.

He said: "Motorists should not have to put up with roadworks which leave the surface in a poor condition."

Last year, nationally, workers dug two million holes in roads but 360,000 were not repaired to the agreed specification.

Peter Box, of the LGA's transport board, said: "Contractors should not be allowed to get away with botching road repairs and then leaving council tax payers to foot the bill."

Glenn McBride, 22, of Market Harborough, travels in to the city each day.

He said: "I pass so many roadworks on the way and when they're done the roads are not often left in a good condition.

"Any new powers to stop it happening would be backed by motorists."

Taxi driver Gary Charlton, 40, of Oadby, said: "I don't think most of the roadworks you see are necessary. If firms had to pay a deposit they'd only do work if it was essential."

A spokesman for Leicestershire County Council said: "The council uses its powers as and when necessary to make sure that damage is corrected.

"Any cost the highway authority incurs through public utilities' activity in the road should be recoverable but a further review of legislation would undoubtedly help."

A Severn Trent spokesman said: "The digging up of roads is time-consuming and expensive and we only do this when absolutely necessary.

"We only employ highly-skilled engineers so we can be confident in their abilities to do the job to a high standard."

Neither the city council nor the county council could say how much they spent repairing roads last year following works by utility companies.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503348/s/1480385e/l/0L0Sthisisleicestershire0O0Cnews0CPublic0Epays0Ebad0Eroad0Erepairs0Carticle0E350A17180Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

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