We have seen this many times. A utility company needs to fix a problem. It fixes the problem. Then they clear off for a couple of days before removing lights or patching up a road. This has happened twice over the last few days. On Saturday night, Western Power Distribution dug up the main exit from the town centre, Brand Lane, to fix a power fault. But the tarmac to patch the hole didn’t arrive until Monday morning. Western Power was however outclassed by Severn Trent. The water company needed to dig a hole in the pavement on Upper Galdeford. It did so on Sunday under a one-day permit. But the company seems to have run out of tarmac because the hole has not been filled in (Wednesday morning) and the traffic lights remain in place.

The work on Upper Galdeford was scheduled for Sunday in error by Shropshire Council. It says it did not realise the disruption the work would cause on a day when Corve Street was closed for long planned resurfacing.

Mistakes are made but Severn Trent is being abusive. It had a permit to do the works for one day. Today is the fourth day and the company says the work “should be complete” today.

Meanwhile, the pavement is completely blocked at great inconvenience to pedestrians and traffic is being held up. Severn Trent is paying for a traffic light crew to be stationed on site from early morning into the evening in case the lights fail. But it’s not Severn Trent paying. We are paying through our water bills.

This is scheduled repair work. It should have been completed within a day in line with the permit from Shropshire Council.

I have lost track of the number of times Severn Trent has undertaken a repair and then cleared off. It acts as a law to itself and has no sense of responsibility for the disruption it causes.

One thought on “Is Severn Trent the country’s most inefficient utility company for roadway repairs?”
  1. Can anyone beat the highways and councils pot holes filling records? Cost me hundreds then trying to claim was a nightmare and then they would not pay.

    Water and electric companies come in after at least it is only a few days

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