Wiltshire council has backtracked on a claim that an energy company was to blame for roadworks delays.
On Tuesday, March 25, the authority said that it would have to push back the reopening of County Way to April 17, due to a delay to the improvement project on Trowbridge’s Longfield Gyratory.
The council had said that during the works, it had discovered that an underground high-voltage electricity cable, which was known to the project team and was to be managed as part of the project, was not laid at a suitable depth by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), the owner of the asset.
They added that this created a potential danger for the teams, with the plans for the area listed the cable as deeper than it actually is.
SSE disputed the claims made about the depth of the cables under the footpath, and said the cables had been placed correctly, but would need to be changed in line with the council’s proposed alterations to the road structure – a process it was assisting with.
Wiltshire Council has now said that while there is a high-voltage cable not at a suitable depth to make the change safely, the issue was not caused by SSE.
The council added that issues pertaining to underground apparatuses are common in urban environments where areas are “congested” with utilities.
Cllr Martin Smith, cabinet member for Highways, said: “We apologise for the delay to the works at the Longfield Gyratory. The issue and the delay to the work have not been caused by SSE.
“There is a high-voltage cable on site that is not at the depth required to safely make the planned change in pavement height on this part of the project.
“Issues arising from underground apparatus are common in busy urban environments, particularly where footways are congested with multiple utilities that have been added to over decades, and these situations can be complex to resolve.
“We are working closely and collaboratively with SSE to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to ensure that we can move the project forward, while also keeping our teams and the public safe now and to avoid any future issues.”
Wiltshire Council has confirmed that the current closure of County Way leading to the gyratory will remain in place until at least Friday, April 17. (Image: Wiltshire Council)
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A spokesperson for SSE said: “Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has been working closely with Wiltshire Council and contractors in relation to the ongoing roadworks and carriageway extensions at Longfield Gyratory.
“SSEN’s underground cables, which supply power to the local area, have previously been located under the pedestrian footpath and at the correct levels for safety and access.
“Wiltshire Council’s plans to alter the road structure means this footpath becomes part of the extended carriageway; as cabling under roads needs to be located at a lower level for safety and to accommodate other utilities, SSEN has been asked by the council to relocate its power cable.
“These works have been requested and paid for by Wiltshire Council, with road excavations being carried out by council contractors. These excavations then enable SSEN to lay the new, deeper cable according to the council’s timescale.”
