Infrastructure Department challenged on utility road repair charges

An Assembly Committee has warned tens of thousands of road openings carried out each year by utility companies could be contributing to the deterioration of Northern Ireland’s road network.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has raised concerns that the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) cannot currently determine the costs linked to these reinstatements or provide assurance that taxpayers are not subsidising associated maintenance work.

In its Report on Road Openings by Utilities, the Committee says the burden of maintenance costs associated with over 50,000 road openings and reinstatements that take place annually should be shared with the utilities.

However, the Committee has expressed alarm that it had not received reassurances that this was the case.

Utility companies supply essential services like gas, electricity and communications and carry out necessary works on their infrastructure. When this involves opening roads and pavements, they are also responsible for reinstating them to a satisfactory standard so they can be used by the public.

As part of its Inquiry into this area, officials from the Department for Infrastructure (which oversees the performance of utilities) gave evidence to the Public Accounts Committee. 

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In its report, PAC has made a total of 11 recommendations it would like to see implemented.

The Committee believes that frequent and repeated road openings can weaken the road structure and contribute to the deterioration of the network over time.

Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Daniel McCrossan MLA said: “Of course there are other causes of defects that the Department is required to repair across the entire network.

“However, when we spoke to officials they couldn’t set out a reliable way of calculating how much of that burden arose from deterioration of the road network linked specifically to utility reinstatements. 

“As a result, they couldn’t reassure us that taxpayers were not subsidising repairs that should be properly funded by utility companies.

“We are recommending that by the early Autumn, the Department develops a methodology to determine the cost of maintenance linked specifically to utility reinstatements - and uses it to determine if its cost recovery approach is appropriate and achieving value for money.

“Within a year, we also want to see the Department undertake a full evaluation of the costs and benefits of introducing performance-related financial penalties for utilities.” 

The Committee concluded that the road network was in an entirely unacceptable state of disrepair. It highlighted a 2024 Northern Ireland Audit Office finding that more than £3.3 billion worth of maintenance work remained outstanding.

In its report, PAC went on to say that the disruption caused by utility works impacted significantly on road users and local communities. It cited an inconsistency in contractor behaviour, as well as poor communication and unclear lines of responsibility that all contributed to the disruption and uncertainty experienced by residents and businesses.

The Committee said it would like to see a substantial strengthening in how DfI gathered, analysed and responded to public concerns - and called for reporting mechanisms to be simple, accessible and well promoted.

Deputy Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Tom Buchanan MLA said they were also calling for urgent action to restore a credible inspection programme by the Department. He said: “Visual inspection targets have been missed consecutively for seven years. Effective inspections are essential in ensuring reinstatement works are completed to the required standard and defects identified early.

“Another issue has been the suspension of the core testing programme – which can identify defects beneath the road surface. This represents a serious risk.

“Our report also recommends the Department publishes a wider range of performance data from utilities. More transparent and specific reporting would help drive improvements, shine a light on poor performers and give the public greater confidence that issues are being addressed.

“Within the next 12 months we want to see a detailed action plan published which sets out how the data gathered will be used to support decision making and actions.”

The Committee has also called for a review of warranties related to reinstatements to take place within the next six months – to ensure they protect public money.

Warranties are intended to protect the taxpayer from short-term costs arising from poor‑quality reinstatements – but PAC believes the current two or three‑year warranty periods are insufficient.

PAC welcomed the Department’s innovative digital mapping and AI project, which it said in the future could transform the way road conditions are understood and defects are identified – and it acknowledged the benchmarking work being carried out with the Highways Authority and Utilities Committee (HAUC UK).

The Committee said the Department’s ability to manage road openings by utilities had been constrained by significant recruitment and retention challenges, particularly in professional and technical roles. It recognised the Department’s efforts to innovate in workforce development but said the challenges were system‑wide and required coordinated, cross‑departmental action.