£4,000 fine as unsafe pavement holes put pedestrians in danger
EDF Energy has been fined more than £4000 after a court found it had put Hammersmith and Fulham residents’ lives at risk.
The energy supplier had created a 30-metre trench without putting up diversions which forced people to walk along busy Scrubs Lane.
The company was fined £4,280 and ordered to pay Hammersmith and Fulham council £2,157 in costs after admitting failing to provide reasonable safety precautions.
West London magistrates were told council inspectors visited two sites - in Scrubs Lane and in Uxbridge Road - in December and found safety regulations being ignored.
EDF contractor Skanska McNicholas had dug up pavements in Scrubs Lane, creating a huge hole. Barriers had fallen over and there were no signs to warn pedestrians or motorists.
It took three days to get safety measures installed. EDF was fined £4,000 and told to pay a victim's surcharge of £15. The council was awarded £1,344 costs.
EDF contractors had overlooked safety rules on Uxbridge Road the week before. That brought a £250 fine, plus a £15 surcharge and £813 costs.
Deputy council leader Nicholas Botterill said: "It is a miracle that no one was injured or even killed."
October 2, 2008