Housing company fined for digging up road without permission

Tanat Valley Developments Ltd excavations encroached on to a road near Llanrhaeadr-Ym-Mochant and exposed cables, with no pedestrian safety measures in place.

The company and company director David Jones, of Llanfyllin, were fined and had to pay costs of more than £4,300 when they appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court.

They were prosecuted for highways offences by Powys County Council.

Mr Jones pleaded guilty to two highways offices and was fined £265 for each charge and ordered to pay £786 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

The company, which pleaded guilty to four offences, was fined a total of £2,200 and ordered to pay £786 costs and a £100 victim surcharge.

Magistrates heard that the council had received a complaint regarding a road closure in the Llanrhaeadr-Ym-Mochnant area on the B4580.

Officers from the highways development control team visited the site on November 2 to investigate.

Debris

At the site, they found that somebody had made excavations in the highway and had constructed a kerbline, the court was told.

Officers also observed that a significant amount of excavation works had taken place, leaving a steep gradient of disturbed materials and exposed cables with no pedestrian safety measures in place.

Magistrates heard that an access has been formed with an excavation in the access adjacent to the carriageway.

Officers observed that there was no bitumen surfacing and that debris and mud from the site was being dragged out onto the highway.

At least one street light had also been removed in absence of any consent from the council as the highway authority.

No advance warning signs of the works were in place and no guarding was in place to safeguard the public from passing vehicles.

Councillor Phyl Davies, cabinet member for highways, said: “Any works required on the highways require permission from the council. This is to ensure any works are acceptable, up to the required standard and that the community are informed of any works in advance of any start date.

“It is also vital that road users and the public are protected while any works are ongoing.

“In this case, the developer proceeded with the works without gaining our permission. We had no other choice but to prosecute. This should serve as a warning to anybody thinking of carrying out works on the highway that they could also be prosecuted if they do not have permission.”