Do Openreach lay fibre at night?

Just popped down to the shop and noticed at least 6 or 7 white vans, 2 of them with huge reels of what I'm hoping is fibre on the back setting up traffic lights and pulling up man holes along a busy stretch of road that runs past my newly installed fibre cab and going almost all the way to the exchange.

There's nothing about roadworks on roadworks.org or our local council traffic works website about it. Could this be Openreach or their contractors running fibre from the exchange to my cab??

Huge reels of black wire with yellow stripe is the fibre tubing. Fibre is blown down the various mini tubes in the larger tube at a later date

Sounds like that's what it is then. Couldn't see the colour on the black as it was dark and loads of lights in my face. The spools looked to be about 4-5ft tall though.

They seem to be starting in a strange spot - they're starting right on the edge of town (exactly on the edge in fact where the Welcome sign is) and going for about a mile, past my CAB and finishing about 100m from the exchange.

Could just be a gang stealing cable, but unlikely

Hahahaha hadn't thought of that but doubt it on that stretch of road. It's very busy - too many witnesses

Most cable thefts are done in broad daylight, being brazen has its benefits to some.

You never know. I [censored] hope not though. Don't want Openreach to have any reasons to [censored] off and leave before my CAB is done - it's been long enough coming!!

Just been looking at Roadworks... telephone icons all over the place but nothing in my area! But as it hasn't got anything for where you are and they are laying Fibre then there is hope. The village where my exchange is just had a cabinet put in so they have at least made a start.

It's definitely fibre tubing being laid. Just drove past again and saw the yellow writing on the stuff. Also, there's BT signs all over the place now apologising for the inconvenience caused.

It's amazing how quick it's actually going in. They are already more than halfway through the run and it must be 3/4 mile long.

Yes they lay fibre whenever, if it needs traffic management (which is what it sounds like for your area tonight) then the local council will give them conditions of work e.g. Off peak working, overnight, weekend only etc. They on average usually pull in 300-500m per cable gang but you say there are a lot of people there so they may be trying to do it all in one go with the rolling traffic lights.

Sometimes notices not always show up on the roadworks site.

Probably laying dark fibre

Ah - someone who can cast light on the matter.

probably not on roadworks site as strictly speaking its not legal.

e.g. I live on a main road and the council doesnt want to close the road, so instead I have witnessed workmen do things at illegal hours. Once severn trent turned up at 11pm in the evening, council denied all knowledge, and when I went out to remind them of the law they were packed up within 5 minutes.
Another occasion was a sunday morning, some workmen were patching up the road, they were what it looks like council workers, again council denied all knowledge, not on roadworks website either, after I reported it tho they were gone within 15 minutes.

In reply to a post by Chrysalis:

probably not on roadworks site as strictly speaking its not legal.

e.g. I live on a main road and the council doesnt want to close the road, so instead I have witnessed workmen do things at illegal hours. Once severn trent turned up at 11pm in the evening, council denied all knowledge, and when I went out to remind them of the law they were packed up within 5 minutes.
Another occasion was a sunday morning, some workmen were patching up the road, they were what it looks like council workers, again council denied all knowledge, not on roadworks website either, after I reported it tho they were gone within 15 minutes.

Although sometimes it is done because the council are being awkward and demanding high fees.

We had our pole demolished so no residential or business lines. BT wanted to re-instate the pole as quickly as possible ... the council demanded a minimum of 13 weeks notice for temporary lights and a fee of several hundred pound (or more). They arrived at 5:00 AM on a Saturday (it had been suggested to us) and had the new pole in place by 6:00 and drop wires by 7:00 just in time for me to deliver hot bacon butties.

I don't miss the hassle of the traffic lights - I'm just glad it's getting done ☺


I like the comment about the dark fibre!!

Nothing wrong with night works. Competent undertakers should liaise with the Highway Authority and District Environmental Health team regarding planned works. Emergency/urgent works are obviously just that.

In reference to www.gov.uk/government/publications/street-works-faq:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/street-wo...

Q3. What is the current position on undertakers carrying out street works at night?

Section 56 of the NRSWA allows an authority to direct an undertaker to carry out works at certain times, but only if they believe that the work is likely to cause serious traffic disruption. Authorities need to exercise discretion in the use of this power and cannot direct work to be done at specific times if this conflicts with restrictions on noise or other nuisance. It may be that works cause least disruption to traffic if they are carried out at night or weekends.

If you are concerned about noise you should contact your local authority environmental health or street works manager.

in both cases tho the environmental health team said no authorisation was given, they said they had no knowledge.

I don't think that matters. It would be an absolute nightmare if BT had to get authorisation from the council every time roadworks or traffic lights were required. I'm sure that's not how it works.

they probably would if was out of hours.

But I suppose it depends on noise levels, if they doing something like just swapping line cards in a cabinet no, but if roadworks then yes.

Edited by Chrysalis (Sat 01-Nov-14 14:20:54)

Every street is detailed on the National Streetworks Gazetteer. Streets may be noted as 'Traffic Sensitive'.

Those streets that are traffic sensitive may be listed as such during rush hour or during working hours or 24 hours.

If you do roadworks during Traffic Sensitive hours, you will need to buy a permit or buy a lane closure.

If you work outside of those hours and you are not digging up Her Majesty's land, you you are pretty much clear to work without notice. This may involve nights or weekends. I would have told Chrysalis to ' Jog On'

Edited by deleted (Sat 01-Nov-14 21:43:04)

in which case you would have had a environmental health officer attending regarding noise pollution.

I'm not going to bother to respond any further to Chrysalis as he appears to know the 'law' and that is all that matters.

Speak with your Highway Authority about night/weekend working for emergency, urgent and planned works. Ask the same questions with your Environmental Health Team. Either way, works happen at night/weekends/holidays for a multitude of reasons and this will continue to happen.

http://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/5...

Oh, was that you on that BBC documentary 'The Motorway: Life in the Fast Lane'?

Edited by deleted (Wed 05-Nov-14 00:54:44)

Not sure over night, certainly over weekends and well into evening when summertime, that's my experience in Powys, first cabs started taking orders end of September.

In reply to a post by Yaz:

I'm not going to bother to respond any further to Chrysalis as he appears to know the 'law' and that is all that matters.

Speak with your Highway Authority about night/weekend working for emergency, urgent and planned works. Ask the same questions with your Environmental Health Team. Either way, works happen at night/weekends/holidays for a multitude of reasons and this will continue to happen.

http://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/5...

Oh, was that you on that BBC documentary 'The Motorway: Life in the Fast Lane'?

just to point out my information came from my "Environmental Health Team."

By the way did you read the pdf you linked in the post? as it certainly doesnt say I am wrong.

Edited by Chrysalis (Wed 05-Nov-14 08:33:38)