Christchurch councillor Vanessa Ricketts calls on utility companies to work together to stop 'never-ending road works.'

A CHRISTCHURCH councillor has called on utility companies to “talk to each other” to limit the ongoing roadworks plaguing the town.

Clllr Vanessa Ricketts said that if the firms “plan things properly” residents and businesses would not have to suffer so badly.

She told the A&T: “At the moment, one company comes along and digs up the road then a few months down the line another one does exactly the same thing.

“I realise emergency works have to be carried out at times but there should be a system where if one company is doing them, others can be notified so that if they are planning works later they can bring them forward so that the road does not have to be dug up twice or even more times.”

SGN said it was seeking to “cause the minimum amount of disruption” but emergency work had to be completed as soon as possible.

But Cllr Ricketts said energy giants and other big firms were “too interested in pocketing huge profits rather than helping the people and businesses affected”.

She claimed the roadworks could have been avoided if original plans for traffic routes had been carried out decades ago.

One of her first jobs after leaving university was to work in the engineering department of the council in the 1980s.

She said: “Old plans showed that the main road was to go under the town and on top there was to be a pedestrianised plaza area. But the idea was shelved.

“At the time it was estimated that the infrastructure would last between 40-50 years which is about where we are now.

“The services are getting very tired and the utilities companies have not been investing in their upkeep. Instead they keep firefighting by just repairing it or replacing parts when there is an emergency.”

She pointed out that several businesses in Barrack Road have shut down because of the “continuous roadworks”.

Cllr Ricketts added: “They will not be the last if this goes on. There needs to be a more holistic approach where everything is done at the same time. It only takes a bit of planning and the big companies to sit down with BCP Council and all of them come up with a solution.”

An SGN spokesperson said: “We are committed to working closely with local authorities to ensure our roadworks cause the minimum amount of disruption to local residents, road users and businesses.

“When upgrading pipes or installing a new connection we can plan our work in advance and collaborate with other utilities if possible.

“But during emergency work when safety is at stake, we must respond quickly and efficiently, and this may mean having to carry out street works at short notice.”

A BCP Council spokesperson said: “For safety and public health reasons, the council cannot prevent emergency works from taking place or control the timing.

“However, we do work with the responsible utility company to minimise the impact and duration of this type of work as far as practical.

“Utility companies have a statutory responsibility and are allowed to carry out unplanned emergency works at short notice.”