Collaborative working with cabling companies avoids further disruption

Cheshire East Council and companies installing fibre-optic cabling are working together to minimise disruption so that homes and businesses can get connected to superfast broadband.

The council’s highways service is ensuring that planned works to roads and pavements dovetail with the current roll-out of fibre-optic cabling in parts of the borough. This avoids the need to disturb newly-laid paving and tarmac. 

Lila Connect is going ahead with fibre-optic cable laying in parts of Sandbach during highways improvement works, including pavement resurfacing. Similarly, in Crewe, VX Fibre has been able to lay ducting during a road closure prior to completion of footway improvements by the council. The collaborative working means no further disruption for residents or businesses.

Councillor Craig Browne, chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, said: “Councils are often criticised for allowing roads and pavements to be dug up again soon after they have been resurfaced.

“In some instances, we have no choice as legislation allows for this to happen, especially in a local emergency. We are working collaboratively with Lila Connect and VX Fibre, facilitating their cabling and ducting during our works, thus ensuring no disturbance to newly-completed roads and footway works where superfast broadband rollout is taking place.

“Cheshire East highways’ resurfacing programmes are under constant review to try to avoid any clash with planned third-party utility works and, while there may be some disruption, we ask the public to bear with us while these works are underway.” 

Lila Connect and VX Fibre are rolling out superfast fibre-optic cables across parts of Cheshire East, which will deliver gigabit high speed digital connectivity to hundreds of homes. 

The footway works in parts of Sandbach, including Heath Road, and in Crewe, while cable laying takes place for superfast broadband, is an example of the collaboration between the council’s highways network management team and the utility companies. The approach will serve the best interests of residents and businesses, resulting in minimal disruption.