National Grid ordered to pay £43,000 for traffic management offences
National Grid has been ordered to pay more than £43,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to 11 offences relating to the unacceptable and unsafe implementation of traffic management measures across Shropshire – in a prosecution brought by Shropshire Council.
The sentencing was at Telford Magistrates Court on Monday 15 April 2024.
The charges relate to work carried out across Shropshire between September 2023 and February 2024 when National Grid failed to adequately sign, light and guard work they were carrying out, and failed to provide appropriate pedestrian access.
The offences were contrary to Section 65 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and arose from complaints from the public and site inspections by Shropshire Council’s highway inspectors.
The total penalty for all offences was £36,850, plus costs of £5,032.38, and a victims surcharge of £2,000 – a total of £43,882.38
Chris Schofield, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for planning and regulatory services, said:
“Shropshire Council is responsible for regulating works taking place on our network of roads, and any avoidable breaches that disrupt the flow of traffic and safety of the network are taken extremely seriously, as this prosecution shows.
“We hope this prosecution serves as a warning to all utilities companies, and reassures road users that we will take action against companies that break the law.”
The charges to which National Grid pleaded guilty were:
- 13 September 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of Mytton Oak Road
- 18 September 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of Mytton Oak Road
- 18 September 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of White Hart, Shrewsbury
- 18 September 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of Walton Road, Shrewsbury
- 18 September 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of Folley Road, Ackleton
- 21 September 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of Folley Road, Ackleton
- 16 November 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of Whitecroft Road, Shrewsbury
- 29 November 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of Whitecroft Road, Shrewsbury
- 30 November 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of Copthone Road, Shrewsbury
- 6 December 2023 – failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of Kenwood Road, Shrewsbury
- 16 February 2024 failure to adequately sign, light and guard part of the road from Stoney Stretton junction B4386 to Rowton junction A458
