BT issued with penalty for illegal road closures

The Scottish Road Works Commissioner has issued a penalty of £30,000 to BT for closing roads in Argyll and Bute without the permission of the council.

These failings were brought to light following reports made by Argyll and Bute Council. The Commissioner then investigated, finding a pattern of unauthorised closure of public roads at ten separate locations between July 2024 and October 2025.

The Commissioner has powers to issue penalties up to a maximum of £100,000 where a statutory undertaker has failed to comply with duties to co-operate with roads authorities. The value of the penalty takes into account the number of occasions on which BT closed roads without permission and also the level of disruption caused to road users. 

Scottish Road Works Commissioner, Kevin Hamilton said:

“There are times when it is necessary to close roads to carry out works safely. By its nature this can be very disruptive to road users. When utility companies close roads without the permission of the council, this means that those affected only find out after the road has been closed. It also prevents the council from putting in place steps to minimise the effects of the closure on road users. Unauthorised closures are against the law and lead to inconvenience and disruption for all of us. BT has assured me they’ll do better in the future and I hope this fine serves as a warning to others.”