Utility companies have been fined almost £160,000 in the last two years because roadworks in Oxfordshire have overrun.

Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, used powers to penalise companies like Thames Water, Virgin Media and British Telecom for taking longer than agreed to complete works.

County Hall has collected £158,445 - £58,167 from Thames Water alone.

Before carrying out maintenance work companies have to agree a timetable.

And if the deadline is not met, councils can issue fines under powers contained in the New Road and Street Works Act 1991.

Penalties vary from £100 to £2,000 per day.

Transco (now Southern Gas Networks), Scottish and Southern Energy, Thames Water, NTL, Central Networks, Cable and Wireless, Connect Utilities and Wales and West Utilities have all been fined.

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: "The council is limited in the fine that it can impose for an overrun - the size of the penalty can range from £100 to £2,000 per day, dependent on the category of road works.

"Utilities are able to apply for an extension of time where unforeseen events impact upon the construction, which the council cannot unreasonably withhold.

"The fines are purely related to where works have extended without the utility informing the council."

Utility companies have complained that detailed information on streetworks is collected in different ways, making it difficult to know exactly where pipes, cables and sewer mains are.

Don Sharples, a spokesman for Thames Water, said: "We work closely with councils and we work closely with our contractors to ensure deadlines are met. Our track record is improving."