Firms to pay for roadwork delays

Steel plates could be used to cover roadworks to improve traffic flow

Westminster Council is fining utility companies that fail to meet deadlines after they dig up London's roads.

The council singled out the gas and electricity provider EDF Energy as one company that repeatedly failed to finish work as planned.

The firms are fined as much as �250 a day for delays and for not properly cleaning up pavements and roads after work is completed.

EDF Energy told the BBC that it was striving to improve its record.

Westminster councillor Danny Chalkley said the amount of pedestrian and vehicle traffic in London's West End meant delays were massively disruptive.

Striving to improve

"We want these works to be progressing quickly. We expect these sites to be managed properly and where they're not it does cause us a problem," Mr Chalkley said.

According to the council, in the first six months of 2008, EDF carried out 2,818 works projects. Of those that were inspected by the council, 53% did not meet the council's standards.

The firm has been fined �50,000 so far this year.

Transport for London has complained that roadworks are slowing traffic flow in the city to pre-congestion charge levels.

London councils are planning a permit scheme for all roadworks in a bid to better coordinate any potential disruptions.

An EDF spokesman said the works it carried out were essential and that it was striving to improve its performance.

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