Council calls for more power over utilities works

Westmorland and Furness Council will write to the government asking for more powers

A local authority wants more powers to manage roadworks done by utility firms to reduce disruption for people.

Westmorland and Furness Council will ask the government to give it permission to coordinate works by utility companies to address problems such as misleading diversion signs and several works happening at once.

Councillor Peter Thornton, who put forward the motion at a full council meeting, said more collaboration was needed between the council and utility companies.

"Sometimes [works] are not coordinated, the signage is misleading, sometimes missing and often in the wrong place," the cabinet member for highways said.

He added: "Traffic lights can be inefficient or broken down and the highway is closed for long periods with nothing actually happening."

Companies must apply for a permit from the council to carry out work, but in emergencies, activity can start without a permit, provided the company applies for one within two hours.

Thornton said council staff "simply don't have enough powers" to challenge whether emergency works are emergencies or "a consequence of bad planning".

The Lib-Dem led authority agreed to write to Lilian Greenwood, the minister for future roads, requesting a meeting to discuss the proposal.