Thames Water Blamed for Majority of Disruptive Roadworks in Islington
Islington Council has identified Thames Water as the primary contributor to roadworks chaos in the borough, with the utility company responsible for nearly half of all immediate works causing significant disruption.
The Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee heard that Thames Water accounted for 790 out of 1,759 immediate works applications between April 2025 and March 2026. These immediate works, which require only two hours' notice after commencement, pose the greatest challenge for network management.
Mark, the streetworks manager for Islington Council, presented an overview of the council's efforts to coordinate and manage roadworks, which are carried out by utility companies and the council's own contractors under the New Roads and Streetworks Act. The council employs a permit system to control these works, processing over 21,000 applications in the reporting period, equating to approximately 7,500 individual pieces of work.
Immediate works are the most problematic category due to the minimal notification period. Minor works (up to three days) require three days' notice, standard works (up to ten days) require ten days' notice, and major works (over ten days or involving road closures) require a three-month lead time. This allows for review of traffic management plans and aims to achieve the best possible outcome for the network.
The council imposes penalties for overruns on permitted works, with fines of around £2,500 per day for major roads. These penalties are intended to disincentivise unnecessary delays. Public information on permitted works is available through the One Road Network website, promoting transparency.