Stopping openreach having access to dig

I've had numerous issues with my broadband over the years necessitating multiple digs both outside my property and in or adjacent to the dropped kerbs and the verges of iirc six of my neighbours. There were holes for five months on and off a year or so ago and eventually, after a dozen engineers visits, they properly fixed a very bodged repair from 5+ years back (jelly crimp join wrapped in a plastic bag and sealed with pvc tape, zero mechanical protection and buried 50mm below the access ramp surface)

Now Openreach are back again, investigating a reprovisioning issue nearby and want to re-dig one of their previous excavations up the road. A neighbour went ballistic when he saw the markings and came to see me thinking it was my line again. My line is ok (for now) but knowing the mess of the past I doubt it will be for very much longer

He's now pressure washed all evidence of the openreach applied dig markings and parked his spare vehicle across his dropped kerb thereby preventing openreach from digging up the road and the ramp from the road to his drive. There is space for him to park his other vehicle on the road without causing an obstruction.

Can Openreach get him to move the vehicle from the area of the proposed dig? I really can't see him moving it before hell freezes over or he need his MOT renewing

BT have code powers, some details here. I am not sure if BT can have vehicles removed that are blocking their legal right to access their equipment but they may well be able to. They also can go to the courts for a court order - maybe your neighbour isn't aware of the powers BT have as a comms provider and what could happen to them if they obstruct BT's access to their plant.

Thanks for that. Clearly powers to essentially do what they like when they like and how they like.

I think he's aware he's probably on dodgy ground and I'm not just referring to the poor quality of backfill compaction.

I got the impression he wants to cause them as much grief as he can such that when they actually dig they are in and out in half an hour and he's not having to drive through a pile of eroding and spreading subsoil for months on end like it was during the period with my numerous faults

Right now they'd need to get a limbo dancer equipped with a tea spoon to start digging

If they�re in and out quickly then you can be sure they won�t do a good job.

Better they take their time.

Also bear in mind that the actual dig is usually done by contractors, and a Openreach turn up the day after to do the network work.

I experienced a similar issue a few years back, whereby a neighbour dumped a car right over where Virgin Media needed to do some digging. After I reported it, Virgin were very keen to make sure it got moved ASAP so they could carry on with the work they needed to do. It was eventually towed away after a couple of weeks. I know it's not Openreach, but hopefully they'll adopt a similar approach if it's essential work required to prevent a loss of service.

Maybe your neighbour will change his tune when his phone line packs up.

If 'they' where to get arsey about your neighbours action they could also make life more difficult for him, getting a PCN issued for parking across a dropped kerb would be a start.

So your nieghbour has delayed another nieghbour getting service by their selfish actions. Clever stuff.

In reply to a post by burble:

If 'they' where to get arsey about your neighbours action they could also make life more difficult for him, getting a PCN issued for parking across a dropped kerb would be a start.

It's his own dropped kerb he is parking across. It's not shared. He's not preventing access to pedestrians either, just Openreach.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

So your nieghbour has delayed another nieghbour getting service by their selfish actions. Clever stuff.

He's technically not delayed anyone just yet, I was chatting to a Openreach cable tracer bloke a few days ago (I was out cutting the grass) and even though he reckoned he'd been on the street before he was having no luck finding where the cables ran or crossed the road. I then pointed out the repair patches in the road every few metres all the way to a pair of 'PO' underground chambers 100+ metres away where there is a road crossing. But confusingly the road is fed from two directions from the same cabinet with crossings laid in the road, some deep and some nearer the surface.

The pavements were all relaid a while ago and have a section 58 no-dig for the next three or four years not that that will stop work as there have since been numerous BT Gas & Water excavations.

Openreach also need a permit before starting work and as yet there is nothing showing online.

I suppose he better check he's taxed and insured the potentially offending vehicle

In reply to a post by M100:

In reply to a post by burble:

If 'they' where to get arsey about your neighbours action they could also make life more difficult for him, getting a PCN issued for parking across a dropped kerb would be a start.

It's his own dropped kerb he is parking across. It's not shared. He's not preventing access to pedestrians either, just Openreach.

Doesn't matter, a PCN can still be issued, he would then have to ask for it to be cancelled.