Traffic Congestion in Reading Results in Grilling for CityFibre

CityFibre directors to face councillors before Reading Borough Council for causing "significant traffic congestion" in the borough.

12:31 05 July 2022

Reading Borough Council has summoned CityFibre directors over "significant traffic congestion" during the firm's installation of superfast broadband in the borough. 

 

RBC's transport lead Tony Page urged the firm to provide a robust traffic management plan to avoid traffic that had caused an "unacceptable knock-on effect on people's lives." 

 

Mr Page said: "Residents in Reading will understand that this is a significant investment by CityFibre in superfast broadband in the town.

 

"Nevertheless, there have been phases of this project where roads have essentially been gridlocked, with an unacceptable knock-on effect on people's lives and livelihoods."

 

This was "in spite of assurances made to myself and council officers" by CityFibre and Instalcom ahead of the work, he added.

 

Stacey King, CityFibre regional partnership director, said: "We'd like to reassure residents that we are doing everything possible to manage disruption.

 

"In Reading, we recently carried out works during off-peak hours with a diversion route in place to minimise traffic and in the meeting with the council later this week, we will be discussing ways of limiting disruption.

 

"We'd like to thank residents and commuters for their patience."