BT has been fined £25,000 for putting the public at significant risk in the second court case TFL brought to the telco in 12 months.
The telecoms giant were ruled to have failed to adequately sign and guard the working area at the Junction of Leigham Court Road in Lambeth on March 1 this year putting the public at risk.
On October 4 at Westminster Magistrates Court BT pleaded guilty to the unsafe execution of street works. The £25,000 fine is the highest fine to-date imposed in London for breaching safety, the telecoms company was also ordered to pay court costs of £2,764.
Since 2010 TFL has issued BT with over 991 fixed penalty notices and 41 prosecutions for street works offences including those for dangerous ad disruptive work.
Passing the sentence, the District Judge said: “The aggravating feature in this matter in my view is the failure to properly close off the pedestrian crossing close to the work site, which resulted in pedestrians walking freely around heavy machinery. The regulations are there for a reason and must be complied with.”
TFL Director of road space management Glynn Barton said: “I am concerned we have had to prosecute BT for the second time within a year for breaches which put public safety at considerable risk.”
