Thames Water are digging holes in Fitzrovia streets at a rate of more than twice a week every year to repair leaks, councillors in Camden have been told.
“In Fitzrovia, there are frequent bursts (of varying sizes) leading to between 100 and 150 Thames Water road openings in the area each year,” stated Professor Tony Travers in a deputation to Camden Council’s Culture and Environment Scrutiny Committee on 22 January.
“Currently there are Thames Water projects to fix leaks at Richardsons Mews, Tottenham Street, Goodge Street, Store Street and (in Westminster) Wells Street.”
Goodge Street has been dug up by Thames Water at least 11 times since January 2023.
Simon Moore, head of London planning for Thames Water, responded saying that his company had a huge programme of water main replacement works underway in Camden and digging holes in the road was necessary to investigate and plug leaks in the Victorian pipes.
Travers asked Camden Council to consider acting with other local authorities “to incentivise Thames Water” by making charges for all road and pavement works, including fines for over-running projects, penalties for work undertaken out-of-hours, and to charge the utilities companies to make good the repairs to carriageways and footways that are frequently left in a poor condition after underground repairs have been completed.
An officer from Camden said that the council was working with other local authorities to bring in a London-wide scheme that would charge utility companies to make sure that repairs are completed on time. The scheme once approved by the Department for Transport could come into operation later this year.
Thames Water are currently part way through three months’ work to replace water pipes in Warren Street.
Culture and Environment Scrutiny Committee – Monday, 22nd January, 2024 6.30 pm.
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