COMMENT: A drop in the ocean (From Oxford Mail)

COMMENT: A drop in the ocean

6:00pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Editorial Comment

Maybe the phrase should read: ‘Water, water everywhere but not a drop on time...’ Because it seems Thames Water thinks it can act with near impunity, digging up roads and throughfares here, there and everywhere, without so much as a thought for the inconvenience it causes.

Of course, they can apologise, and they have, but only in one of those PR-speak ways that always manages to sound so empty.

In this instance however, the company has added: “We are working with our contractors to improve.”

Well isn’t that heartening? But it’s still not good enough.

Which is doubtless why it has seen a near tenfold increase in its fines for not completing roadworks on time.

In total, it’s been penalised £43,450 by Oxfordshire County Council for 18 projects that have overrun. But as critics rightly argue, these fines simply aren’t proving enough of a deterrent. Especially since the company recorded after-tax profits of £117m for April to September.

In light of that, a £40,000 or so fine isn’t really going to send a chill up the firm’s spine.

So well done to the council for standing its ground, but now, if it really wants to flex some muscle, it needs to start pumping up those financial penalties to a level that might actually cause Thames Water to, if nothing else, at least perspire a little more heavily.