Telecommunications Company Fined for Illegal Road Works
BT Openreach dug up Biggs Row without required permissions
Roadworks on Biggs Row at the junction with Felsham Road. Picture: Google Streetview
October 2, 2026
BT Openreach has been fined more than £4,300 after admitting it carried out street works in Putney without the legally required permit. The company appeared before magistrates on 8 September following a prosecution brought by Wandsworth Council under its Traffic Management Permit Scheme.
The case centred on works carried out earlier this year on Biggs Row, where Openreach proceeded without a valid permit under Regulation 19(1). These permits are designed to help the council coordinate activity on the highway, reduce disruption for residents and businesses, and ensure that works are carried out safely.
Openreach entered an early guilty plea, and magistrates imposed a £3,000 fine, reduced to £2,000 in recognition of the plea. The company was also ordered to pay an £800 Victim Surcharge and £1,515 towards the council’s prosecution costs, bringing the total to £4,315, payable within 28 days.
Councillor Nick Austin, Wandsworth’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said the case underlined the importance of compliance. Roadworks, he noted, can have a significant impact on daily life in the borough. “That’s why it is essential that all utility companies and contractors obtain the correct permits before carrying out work on our roads,” he said. “The permit scheme helps us coordinate works effectively, reduce disruption and keep people safe. We will continue to take enforcement action where organisations fail to comply with the rules.”
Wandsworth’s permit scheme requires all utility companies and contractors to secure approval before undertaking works on the public highway. The council says the successful prosecution demonstrates its commitment to enforcing regulations that protect residents from unnecessary disruption and help keep the borough moving.
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