Broadband provider Airband Community Internet has been hit with fines and charges totalling more than £11k for failing to ensure the safety of the public while doing work in the County.

Somerset Council prosecuted the firm following works carried out in Kingston-St-Mary. Airband Community Internet pleaded guilty at Taunton Magistrates Court earlier this month to two offences committed under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA).

These were both committed on 21 November 2023 and were as follows:

· Airband carried out street works at Nailsbourne Road, Kingston-St-Mary, Somerset, in contravention of S65 of NRSWA 1991 by failing to install traffic management to ensure the safety of the travelling public affected by the works.

· The company carried out street works at Dodhill Road, Kingston-St-Mary, Somerset, again in contravention of S65 of NRSWA 1991 by failing to ensure the safety of the public.

The NRSWA 1991 imposes a statutory duty on Somerset Council, as street authority, to co-ordinate street works in and around the County in order to protect the public from unsafe street works; to minimise inconvenience to road users; and to protect the structure and integrity of streets and any equipment.

The framework sets out the duty of operators like Airband to make sure the correct safety standards are in place.

In passing sentence, the court gave full credit to Airband for guilty pleas entered at the earliest opportunity and accepted in mitigation that Airband showed genuine remorse and took steps to remedy the breaches and ensure compliance with NRSWA 1991 in the future.

The aggravating factors were that Airband had previous convictions under NRSWA 1991 dating back to 2022.

The company was sentenced to fines totalling £7,400, costs of £2,282 and a victim surcharge of £2,000.