Council Fines Severn Trent Over Roadworks Failures
Written by HFM News on 3rd June 2026
Severn Trent Water has been fined after temporary traffic lights caused disruption in Market Harborough and Kibworth despite no work taking place.
On both occasions, traffic management was left in place unnecessarily, leading to lengthy delays for frustrated drivers.
The company has admitted the situations “were not good enough”.
Leicestershire County Council has not revealed the level of the sanction, but utility companies can be fined up to £5,000 a day for roadworks issues.
County councillor Sarah Hill (Market Harborough East) had called for action to be taken and has welcomed the move:
Traffic management was left in place unnecessarily, leading to lengthy delays for frustrated drivers.
Temporary traffic lights remained in place and bus stops were coned off in Market Harborough town centre on May 21st after traffic management was not removed from The Square and Northampton Road following overnight works.
On Friday, a lane on the A6 in Kibworth was closed for most of the day following overnight work, with temporary traffic lights not removed until HFM raised the issue with Severn Trent Water.
A Severn Trent spokesperson said: “We are sorry for the disruption caused and absolutely agree that situations like these are not good enough and we’re reviewing our own processes internally to ensure things like this don’t happen in the future.”
