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BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Contractors fined £685k for non-compliant Norfolk roadworks
A county council has issued fines totalling £685,000 in a year for non-compliant County Council said it issued 44,000 street and roadwork permits in 2024-25 to utility firms and it said it rejected 5,400 of 7,000 applications for unplanned emergency works, deeming them penalty notices totalling £340,000 were handed out for 2,809 repairs that did not have a permit or failed to comply with permit conditions. The remaining £345,000 was collected from 306 repair jobs which overran, causing a total of 1,317 additional days of disruption on the county's roads County Council said 74 utility companies had the legal right to undertake works on public highways, and as such its powers "remain limited under national legislation".But the council said it was "committed to holding companies accountable" and in the past 12 months it successfully prosecuted two utility companies where a court imposed fines totalling almost £100,000, with full costs Plant, cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport said: "We are doing everything within our power to manage the impact of roadworks on Norfolk's communities."But the reality is that we don't have the authority to stop or delay many of these works. "Utility companies have a legal right to dig up our roads, and in emergency cases, they can start work before even notifying us. "While this lack of control makes it incredibly difficult to protect residents from disruption, we do hold third parties to account and will issue fines and reject permits when we need to." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Smart meter rollout threatens countryside with ‘oppressive' 40ft masts
A nationwide rollout of smart meters threatens to clutter the countryside with 40-foot poles. Water companies are preparing to install dedicated wireless networks to transmit the readings of a planned 10m devices that will collect live data on household and business water usage. Under the proposals, the so-called 'telemetry' poles will appear in already-crowded streets to handle the data, with companies exploiting planning rules brought in by the last government that effectively allow poles to be put up with little or no consultation or warnings for residents. Regions already hit by the new devices include the historic town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in Northumberland, where 20 planning applications, each for multiple poles, have been lodged to support Northumbrian Water's smart meter programme. The plans have generated a wave of objections, with locals complaining of 'an unsightly clutter of overbearing poles' that it is claimed will be 'obstructing natural light and creating an oppressive outlook'. Similar schemes are also generating fury further south. Essex and Suffolk Water intends to put up an initial 157 poles in Great Yarmouth alone, with plans for hundreds more around the region. Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, told a council meeting: 'I'm seriously concerned because this isn't just Great Yarmouth going to get hit, but all the major towns, all the villages are going to get these telegraph poles put up.' Anglian Water, which provides water for the rest of Norfolk, has also been installing pillars to monitor smart meter usage. The plan has infuriated Norfolk County Council, which argued that existing networks should have been used rather than putting up scores of new poles. Ptolemy Dean, official Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey, and author of Streetscapes, on the evolution of street architecture, said the water metering poles would be an aesthetic disaster for Britain's towns and villages. He said: 'This is a nasty, cheap short-term fix that will damage public spaces and devalue the homes of people living nearby.' The main contractor putting up the poles is Hull-based Connexin, which is already working for multiple water companies. A spokesman said thousands more poles were needed around the UK. 'Water companies need data and this is the best way to collect it,' he said. Connexin is exploiting 'permitted development' planning rules brought in by the last government that effectively allow the company to erect poles wherever it wants with little or no consultation or warnings for residents. Under UK planning law telecoms poles which are less than 15 metres high are included under permitted development so there is no need for planning permission. Connexin's spokesman said: 'We would like to install the wireless routers on existing infrastructure but there is often nothing suitable. It is frustrating for the owners of nearby properties but we are erecting them under permitted development rules which allow us to do that.' Ofwat, the water regulator, which is strongly in favour of smart meters, distanced itself from the row. A spokesman said: 'Water companies are responsible for installing their own equipment and technology and following their local authorities' rules and regulations. 'It is not for Ofwat the economic water regulator to determine how and where poles are installed locally.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
17-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Smart meter rollout threatens countryside with ‘oppressive' 40ft masts
A nationwide rollout of smart meters threatens to clutter the countryside with 40-foot poles. Water companies are preparing to install dedicated wireless networks to transmit the readings of a planned 10m devices that will collect live data on household and business water usage. Under the proposals, the so-called 'telemetry' poles will appear in already-crowded streets to handle the data, with companies exploiting planning rules brought in by the last government that effectively allow poles to be put up with little or no consultation or warnings for residents. Regions already hit by the new devices include the historic town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in Northumberland, where 20 planning applications, each for multiple poles, have been lodged to support Northumbrian Water's smart meter programme. The plans have generated a wave of objections, with locals complaining of 'an unsightly clutter of overbearing poles' that it is claimed will be 'obstructing natural light and creating an oppressive outlook'. Similar schemes are also generating fury further south. Essex and Suffolk Water intends to put up an initial 157 poles in Great Yarmouth alone, with plans for hundreds more around the region. Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, told a council meeting: 'I'm seriously concerned because this isn't just Great Yarmouth going to get hit, but all the major towns, all the villages are going to get these telegraph poles put up.' Anglian Water, which provides water for the rest of Norfolk, has also been installing pillars to monitor smart meter usage. The plan has infuriated Norfolk County Council, which argued that existing networks should have been used rather than putting up scores of new poles. Ptolemy Dean, official Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey, and author of Streetscapes, on the evolution of street architecture, said the water metering poles would be an aesthetic disaster for Britain's towns and villages. He said: 'This is a nasty, cheap short-term fix that will damage public spaces and devalue the homes of people living nearby.' The main contractor putting up the poles is Hull-based Connexin, which is already working for multiple water companies. A spokesman said thousands more poles were needed around the UK. 'Water companies need data and this is the best way to collect it,' he said. Connexin is exploiting 'permitted development' planning rules brought in by the last government that effectively allow the company to erect poles wherever it wants with little or no consultation or warnings for residents. Under UK planning law telecoms poles which are less than 15 metres high are included under permitted development so there is no need for planning permission. Connexin's spokesman said: 'We would like to install the wireless routers on existing infrastructure but there is often nothing suitable. It is frustrating for the owners of nearby properties but we are erecting them under permitted development rules which allow us to do that.' Ofwat, the water regulator, which is strongly in favour of smart meters, distanced itself from the row. A spokesman said: 'Water companies are responsible for installing their own equipment and technology and following their local authorities' rules and regulations. 'It is not for Ofwat the economic water regulator to determine how and where poles are installed locally.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Smart meter rollout threatens countryside with ‘oppressive' 40ft masts
A nationwide rollout of smart meters threatens to clutter the countryside with 40-foot poles. Water companies are preparing to install dedicated wireless networks to transmit the readings of a planned 10m devices that will collect live data on household and business water usage. Under the proposals, the so-called 'telemetry' poles will appear in already-crowded streets to handle the data, with companies exploiting planning rules brought in by the last government that effectively allow poles to be put up with little or no consultation or warnings for residents. Regions already hit by the new devices include the historic town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in Northumberland, where 20 planning applications, each for multiple poles, have been lodged to support Northumbrian Water's smart meter programme. The plans have generated a wave of objections, with locals complaining of 'an unsightly clutter of overbearing poles' that it is claimed will be 'obstructing natural light and creating an oppressive outlook'. Similar schemes are also generating fury further south. Essex and Suffolk Water intends to put up an initial 157 poles in Great Yarmouth alone, with plans for hundreds more around the region. Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, told a council meeting: 'I'm seriously concerned because this isn't just Great Yarmouth going to get hit, but all the major towns, all the villages are going to get these telegraph poles put up.' Anglian Water, which provides water for the rest of Norfolk, has also been installing pillars to monitor smart meter usage. The plan has infuriated Norfolk County Council, which argued that existing networks should have been used rather than putting up scores of new poles. Ptolemy Dean, official Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey, and author of Streetscapes, on the evolution of street architecture, said the water metering poles would be an aesthetic disaster for Britain's towns and villages. He said: 'This is a nasty, cheap short-term fix that will damage public spaces and devalue the homes of people living nearby.' The main contractor putting up the poles is Hull-based Connexin, which is already working for multiple water companies. A spokesman said thousands more poles were needed around the UK. 'Water companies need data and this is the best way to collect it,' he said. Connexin is exploiting 'permitted development' planning rules brought in by the last government that effectively allow the company to erect poles wherever it wants with little or no consultation or warnings for residents. Under UK planning law telecoms poles which are less than 15 metres high are included under permitted development so there is no need for planning permission. Connexin's spokesman said: 'We would like to install the wireless routers on existing infrastructure but there is often nothing suitable. It is frustrating for the owners of nearby properties but we are erecting them under permitted development rules which allow us to do that.' Ofwat, the water regulator, which is strongly in favour of smart meters, distanced itself from the row. A spokesman said: 'Water companies are responsible for installing their own equipment and technology and following their local authorities' rules and regulations. 'It is not for Ofwat the economic water regulator to determine how and where poles are installed locally.' Sign in to access your portfolio
BBC News
30-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Changes to Norwich Park & Ride come into force
Changes to a city's park and ride service are coming into at all five sites in Norwich will operate earlier in the morning, later in the evening and on County Council said the "enhanced" provision followed a re-tendering process at the end of last mark the changes, all park and ride services, excluding Costessey, are free to passengers on the first day of the new arrangements. Graham Plant, a Conservative councillor and cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, said: "The Norwich Park & Ride service is an important part of our transport plan for Norfolk and it gives people a great value and greener option for getting into Norwich."During these difficult financial times, we made it our ambition to find a solution so that this service could be run without any subsidy."We've not only achieved that, but we're also giving people what they asked for from the service, which is earlier and later buses and Sunday services."From Sunday, First Bus will run a fully-electric service for Norwich Airport, Thickthorn and Sprowston, while Simonds, a Diss-based bus firm, will provide journeys for Harford and council had previously announced plans to close the Postwick site, which was used as a medical testing centre during the Covid-19 pandemic, due to low passenger numbers, but decided on a U-turn in 2023 following requests by local that year, Mr Plant warned that the park and ride network could close permanently if passenger numbers did not grow. The council said adult fares would remain £3 thanks to funding from the government. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
