• WESTMINSTER’S residents are fed up with utility companies bringing the city to a standstill, and the city council has had enough as well.

Central London is already congested enough without utility companies, like Thames Water, digging up roads and making journeys around the city even more difficult.

Westminster is, of course, at the heart of a global city and utility repairs are required to keep the city running smoothly.

But too many roads are often closed for several days, with no visible work taking place, and this has to stop.

We are also alarmed at the state our highways are left in after works have been completed, with ugly patches used to cover holes in the pavements as a “temporary fix” but which often stay in place for months.

These street scars are a blight on our public realm and utility companies must restore our roads and pavements to their original condition or face significant fines.

Surely some of Thames Water’s £1billion annual profits can be put towards fixing our pavements to the required standard?

At present councils are severely restricted on the action we can take against utility companies.

The existing legislation allows companies six months to repair damage to roads or face a fine of up to £2,500, a pitifully small sum. Ultimately councils need new powers to tackle this effectively.

But you can be assured that we will continue to put pressure on Thames Water et al to clean up their act and put Westminster’s residents first.

CLLR PAUL DIMOLDENBERG
Cabinet Member for City Management & Air Quality