FTTC Delayed by Other Works?

After a huge campaign and a bit of waiting Hunslet cabinet 82 is getting close to being built.

Plenty of markings and there's fibre to the inspection cover in front of the PCP.

However to get that fibre there they had to go around a blocked duct, which needs to be sorted as the cabinet is out of e-sides and it looks as though they will be doing that shortly, despite there being a section 58 on the road.

Is this going to delay the FTTC?

The honest answer is yes.

See here regarding what a Section 58 is:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/22/section/58

Section 58's may be put in place for several reasons, for example after full carriageway resurfacing in which the Highway Authority are looking to protect there asset (the road). It does not affect emergency works (gas escape, water leaks) or some other types of works (generally new supplies - electrical, gas, water etc.).

The Highway Authority can give consent for works to be carried out but there may be conditions. For example if the road has been fully resurfaced/newly built then they make impose a condition that any reinstatement is full width of the road rather than a smaller, more common, trench/patch.

It's down to Openreach (in this instance) and the relevant Highway Authority to discuss such circumstances. Agreements can be reached or alternative methods found for works to go ahead.

Edited by Yaz (Thu 26-Sep-13 20:55:48)

I'm aware of a section 58 however nothing needs to be done under the road service to deliver FTTC now. The road is under a 58 due to recent resurfacing.

More the concern that we'll have to wait until the new e-sides are provisioned for some reason.

If there is blocked duct for esides, the 58 shouldn't cause too much trouble. If the fibre tubes are already in the '6' in front of the cab, it won't hold up the FTTC deployment. If there are enough esides and the blockage is for fibre tubes, it might cause delays.

Thank you - the fibre is there, they went around the blocked duct and used a crossing further down the road and came back.

Given people can't get phone lines at the moment the provisions for new connections should apply as far as the S.58 goes I'd have thought?

Edited by Ignitionnet (Thu 26-Sep-13 21:06:40)

They must have some sort of dispensation anyway. The ductwork and power supply to the new FTTC cab isn't going to invisibly dig itself in...

The 58 stops people needlessly digging up recently resurfaced or recently adopted sections of Her Majesties highway. If the developers ductwork that they have been handsomely paid for is defective, or another utility has broken the ductwork and there are waiters for phonelines, it ain't needless, it's necessary.

If the fibretubes for FTTC are already onsite, it's irrelevant.

Edited by partial (Thu 26-Sep-13 21:13:33)

That's all going into verge / pavement. The cabinet is going next to the existing one in the verge with power drawn from around the corner.

The authority aren't bothered about that the S.58 is protecting the road surface.

The 58 will apply to footways too.

They already have dispensation for that bit luckily, council did charge them a fair few quid for the pleasure. It's getting the e-sides across the road with collapsed ducts that'll be problematic.

Good to know that, hopefully, all will be ok for the FTTC and the two won't interfere.

It can apply to the footway but it's down to the local authority confirming this when the S58 is raised.