DIRECTORS from CityFibre will appear before members of Reading Borough Council this week to face questions about the company’s installation works.
After a number of complaints were lodged about the disruption caused by CityFibre’s works across Reading earlier this year, RBC held a series of meetings with the company.
Councillors raised concerns about poor working practises and the heavy impact on traffic around Reading which resulted, and in April asked representatives of CityFibre to prepare a presentation of its future plans.
The hearing will now take place on Thursday, with Roy Griffin, regional delivery director for CityFibre, and Stacey King, its regional partnership director, appearing before the Strategic Environment Planning and Transport committee.
The committee will also hear from GrainConnect’s Peter Murphy about the similar work planned by the new telecoms utility company.
Cllr Tony Page said: “Residents in Reading will understand that this is a significant investment by City Fibre in superfast broadband in the town.
“Nevertheless, there have been phases of this project where roads have essentially been gridlocked, with an unacceptable knock-on effect on people’s lives and livelihoods.
“That was particularly the case both along the Oxford Road last year and more recently in Caversham when City Fibre’s works along Church Street saw huge tailbacks build up over our two bridges and along St Peter’s Hill.
Cllr Page said that this was in spite of assurances made to the council by City Fibre and its contractor, Instalcom.
Currently, the council has no powers to prevent CityFibre from carrying out its work, as the provider is legally contracted and has legislative powers to carry out the works.
However in April, members of the SEPT committee announced that it had considered “removing permissions” given to the contractors who were performing the works, Instalcom.
Cllr Page said: “City Fibre’s roll-out will continue across Reading for some months yet before completion, including at other traffic sensitive locations.
“I am certain that, like me, other councillors will want to seek assurances from the company and its contractor at Thursday’s Committee meeting that everything possible will be done to minimise disruption in the weeks and months ahead.
“We will also want to understand what improvements are being made to ensure this level of disruption is not repeated in Reading.”
The full hearing will take place at 6.30pm on Thursday, July 7.
Members of the public may view proceedings via: democracy.reading.gov.uk
