The installation of Ultra Fibre Optic cabling in the Acomb Park area has returned, with work being undertaken on streets that were missed out when the first tranche of work was done.

Cable is currently being installed on Coeside, but it seems that the company has failed to give residents advance notice. One resident contacted Cllr Stephen Fenton after returning home to find their driveway blocked and the ‘service strip’ part of the front garden dug up.

In mid-September Stephen contacted the council’s Streetworks team to ask about similar work being undertaken on nearby Ashmeade Close, and he requested a list of the streets in Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward where permissions had been granted for forthcoming utilities work. A council officer undertook to ask the company’s senior build manager in York to provide some information, but to date none has been received.

It is understood that utility firms are required to notify the council of forthcoming works at least 10 days in advance.

Stephen commented “It’s not acceptable for residents to find their driveway blocked and their front garden dug up with no notice or explanation. If the utility company doesn’t have the courtesy to tell residents what they are doing, and the council can’t compel them to, then it’s even more more important that ward councillors are kept informed.

“I have therefore asked that, when the council’s Streetworks team receives notification of utility works, this is communicated to ward councillors so that we have the opportunity to put out a street letter explaining what’s going on.”