Surbiton roadworks return as Victoria Road is dug up yet again

Victoria Road in Surbiton was dug up yet again today, causing traffic delays as temporary traffic lights were switched on.

The road and pavement-works were being carried out by Southern Gas.  These latest roadworks have started at the beginning of January, just a few months since the last time the road was dug up for ten weeks of resurfacing.  Earlier in 2011, the road was dug up for long periods many times as many different utility companies turned up and started digging.

It can't be easy to get all of the different companies (gas/water/electric/telephone/internet) to arrange times when they do their work at the same time.  However, it is starting to get out of hand in central Surbiton.  Surely the companies involved could save lots of money by trying to help each other out.  It can't be cheap to keep digging up the same stretch of road.

It also has a detrimental effect on local businesses.  The latest roadworks brought major traffic delays and some people stopped coming to visit Surbiton at all.  Let's hope this is a one-off and not a sign of things to come for the rest of the year.