HAMPSHIRE County Council has shown it is firmly on the side of residents when it comes to keeping the county moving – with successful legal action against BT Group plc for causing avoidable disruption on the roads.

At court on June 20, BT Group pleaded guilty and was fined for two failures to comply with directions from the county council about what times of day to use temporary traffic lights while installation works were being carried out in Twyford and Bishopstoke.

The authority can’t refuse works, but does have legal powers to request specific timing to reduce traffic congestion.

Southampton Magistrates Court found BT Group plc guilty of failure to comply with Hampshire County Council’s request to use traffic lights during off peak times only for works carried out in Twyford in December 2016, and a request to use traffic lights only at night for works in Bishopstoke in February this year.

These failures to comply resulted in unnecessary disruption to the travelling public.