Brighton and Hove City Council has declined to name the contractors delivering its Western Road improvement scheme after burst water mains disrupted businesses and affected around 400 properties.
Southern Water said its teams repaired several bursts on Western Road last week, with some caused by accidental damage to its network by third-party contractors working in the area. The leaks took four days to resolve, although it remains unclear whether they were caused by contractors working on the council’s scheme.
Contractor details not disclosed
The council did not identify the contractors appointed to reconstruct and resurface the road, or confirm whether other contractors were working near the affected water mains.
A council spokesperson said the leaks were discovered on Monday 5 October while work was under way. Southern Water was then brought to site and the leaks were fixed. A report by local news website I’m Just Brighton said three leaks had disrupted businesses for four days and were found by contractors on 6 and 7 October.
A Southern Water spokesperson said: “Our teams repaired a number of burst water mains on Western Road last week, including some that were caused by accidental damage to our network by third-party contractors carrying out work in the area.”
The company apologised for the disruption and thanked customers and businesses for their patience while repairs were completed.
Reconstruction follows deeper road defects
The Western Road scheme was announced by the council on 18 August and began as scheduled on 28 September. The work, between Holland Road and Montpelier Road, is expected to take approximately 45 days.
The council had initially approved resurfacing through its capital programme, but subsequent surveys found significant deterioration beneath the carriageway. The revised scope includes deeper excavation, reconstruction of failed sections, drainage repairs, resurfacing and improvements to other road infrastructure.
Trevor Muten, the council’s cabinet member for transport and city infrastructure, said: “Western Road is one of the busiest routes in the city and these reconstruction works are long overdue.”
He said the discovery of the leaks demonstrated the importance of progressing the major works while the road was closed, allowing the council and Southern Water to identify and address further issues before the reconstruction was complete.
The scheme has also attracted opposition over the council’s use of an experimental traffic regulation order to introduce a red route. Drivers stopping on the route face a £70 penalty, reduced to £35 for early payment, while licensed taxis and Blue Badge holders are exempt from the stopping prohibition.