Wessex Water Ltd has been fined and ordered to pay costs totalling just over £13,000 by Taunton Magistrates after admitting two offences under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (“NRSWA 1991”) and the Traffic Management Permit Scheme Regulations 2007.
The court heard that on Thursday 10 July 2025, the water company carried out street works at the A38 Fore Street, North Petherton, Somerset, in contravention of S65 of NRSWA 1991 by failing to secure adequate safety measures during the execution of street works.
Wessex Water also admitted that on the same date and at the same location it breached a permit condition – excavating into the road when the permit authorised works to the footpath only.
The NRSWA 1991 imposes a statutory duty on Somerset Council, as street authority, to co-ordinate street works in and around Somerset to protect the public from unsafe street works; to minimise inconvenience to road users; and to protect the structure and integrity of streets and any apparatus.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste said:
It is our responsibility to make sure that utility firms put the safety of the public first when they carry out work and also that they minimise disruption and inconvenience.
We will ensure that companies are held to account when they do not meet these standards.
In passing sentence, the Court gave full credit to Wessex Water Limited for guilty pleas entered at the earliest opportunity and accepted in mitigation that Wessex Water Limited acted promptly when the incident was reported, showed remorse and took steps to ensure future compliance with NRSWA 1991.
The aggravating factors were that Wessex Water Limited had previous convictions under NRSWA 1991 dating back to 2018.
The court imposed the following:
- Charge 1: fined £5,000
- Charge 2: fined £1,500
Costs were ordered against Wessex Water Limited at the sum of £3,921.13 and it was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £2,600.
