The information recorded on Northern Ireland Roads Service’s street works register has ‘not always been comprehensive and timely,’ according to the province’s Audit Office.
In its report, Road openings by utilities: Follow-up to recommendations of the public accounts committee, the office said the Northern Ireland Roads Service’s inspections were crucial to ensure the 35,000 road openings made by utility companies each year were reinstated to the required standard, but the authority was ‘not complying with the inspection code of practice’.
The sample distribution was ‘not at the levels suggested’, and the Roads Service was ‘not publishing an annual report of its sample inspection performance, as recommended’.
Where faulty reinstatements were discovered, the Roads Service’s level of follow-ups on defects was ‘low and, therefore, it was not possible to gauge if utilities are carrying out necessary remedial works,’ the NI Audit Office said.
While overall standards of reinstatement on Northern Ireland’s roads had improved since 2002, when 35% of the coring sample failed, the 14% failure rate in 2006 ‘was still above the aim of 10%’.
Northern Ireland Water’s failure rate of 19%, and concern over its late notification of road openings meant that its ‘performance record has not been satisfactory’. • Road openings by utilities: Follow-up to recommendations of the public accounts committee : www.niauditoffice.gov.uk/pubs
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