Workman dig up A56 – three weeks after it was re-surfaced

THREE weeks after a half-mile section of the A56 at Warrington was closed to carry out a major re-surfacing project, BT engineers installing fibre broadband arrived on site and dug the road up again.
The work infuriated local people who demanded to know why the work could not have been completed prior to the resurfacing.
They pointed out the project in Higher Lane, Lymm, had been delayed for months while United Utilities carried out major sewer repairs – and questioned why the broadband work could not also have been done.
Resident Stuart Hodgson said: “Someone should be named and shamed over this.
“It’s not the disruption because that was minimal on the second occasion.
“But the fact is they’ve already start to introduce pot holes into a road surface that’s only been there for about three weeks.
“The excavations went right across the road.
“Whoever scheduled this should be named and shamed.”
But conflicting statements from Warrington Borough Council and BT left the issue unresolved.
A spokesperson for the council said: “The additional work at Lymm was carried out by BT and the council has contacted them to understand why it was undertaken after the road re-surfacing.”
But a spokesman for BT said: “This work was part of the BDUK (Broadband Delivery UK) multi-million pound programme to bring fibre broadband to Cheshire people.
“The special roadside green cabinets need to be connected up to exchanges and then to people’s houses. We were granted permission by the council and we have reinstated the road to a good standard.”
Picture: The scene in Higher Lane as the work was carried out.