Thames Water fined £32,000 after carrying out unauthorised roadworks in Wiltshire

Thames Water has been fined a total of £32,000 after being prosecuted by Wiltshire Council for carrying out unauthorised works and closing roads without the necessary permissions.

The prosecution followed two separate incidents involving roadworks at Station Road in Royal Wootton Bassett in April 2024 and Station Road in Purton in July 2024.

In Royal Wootton Bassett, Thames Water carried out work without an approved permit. In Purton, the company closed a public highway without obtaining the necessary authorisation.

The case was heard at Swindon Magistrates' Court on 26 October 2026, where Thames Water pleaded guilty to two separate offences.

The offences were brought under Regulation 19 of the Traffic Management Permit Scheme (England) Regulations 2007 and Section 60 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.

Wiltshire Council's case was that Thames Water had made conscious decisions to proceed with the work without first securing the required approvals and permits.

The company was fined £14,000 for the offence in Royal Wootton Bassett and a further £1,000 for the incident in Purton.

It was also ordered to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge and £15,000 in legal costs, bringing the total financial penalty to £32,000.

Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways at Wiltshire Council, said utility companies had an important role to play but must follow the correct procedures before starting work or closing roads.

He said unauthorised roadworks could cause significant inconvenience to residents and businesses, as well as potentially affecting emergency services.

The council's Network Management team works to coordinate roadworks across Wiltshire to minimise disruption, but the authority warned that companies failing to follow the correct processes can create additional problems for local communities.

Cllr Smith said the council would not hesitate to take action against companies that disregard the rules, adding that the prosecution should send a clear message to all utility providers about the importance of securing the correct permissions before starting work.

He also encouraged residents to report road closures that appear to have been put in place without the necessary legal notices.

Where it is safe to do so, residents are encouraged to take photographs that could help provide evidence when reporting concerns.

Reports of road closures without the required permissions can be sent directly to Wiltshire Council's Streetworks team at streetworks@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Further information about how the council manages roadworks and streetworks is available through the council's Highways Explained webpage.