CATV Cover Kerb Drop

[dropkerb]

Hello, 

I have a CATV cover that belongs to yourself (confirmed by Barnet Council) outside my property. The council need me to get confirmation from yourselves that either this cover can be driven over or whether it needs to be restrengthened or relocated. 

Considering the cover markings indicate that the cover can take weight upto 12.5 tonnes could you please help me get a response so I can get the council to proceed with dropping the kerb? I have attached an image.

Thank you. 

[jem101]

@dropkerb 

Sorry to say, but realistically this is going to be a nightmare to resolve.

Underneath that cover is a ‘chamber’ with a lot of cable connections running through it, now if you want to install a drop curb and it is in the way then VM might well need to dig out and lower the chamber to accommodate it, such a cost will fall on you, think around £2000-£5000 to do so, or they may simply refuse to do it on the grounds that they had original local authority permission to put it there and they can’t be bothered, so tough!

 Or you might well be tempted to get a company to just go ahead and do the work anyway, probably it’ll be all OK, but if not and there are my issues, then expect to get a fine, sufficient that you need to sell your house and move into rented accommodation to pay for it! The company you employed to do the work will probably long since have gone out of business - the entire cost will fall on you!

Now I am not deliberately trying to scare you, but rather make you aware of the potential issues here.

[dropkerb]

A few of our neighbours have had drop kerbs and without any hassle of having any works done, a straight go ahead so I am hoping it's the case for us too.

Will wait for Virgin to respond and see how feasible it is.

Thanks!

[John_GS]

Hi dropkerb

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community.

I'll send you a PM, get some details and reach out to the field manager for your area so we can find out some more information on this one.

Best,

[John_GS]

Hi @dropkerb

Thanks for joining me on PM and providing me those details. I have reached out for you to the field manager for your area now and will be in touch when I know more.

Best,

[dropkerb]

Thank you! 

As mentioned on PM I have managed to get through to divworks and have paid the fee for the survey and received a confirmation of the same.

Thanks!

[Reece_MH]

Hi @dropkerb,

That's great to hear, thanks for the update with that one. Fingers crossed things go to plan! 🙂

If you need anything else in the meantime, please reach back out and one of our team will be happy to assist.

Cheers,

[dropkerb]

Hello,

I was wondering if there is anything we can do to expedite the survey from the divworks team please? 

We have had a change in parking regulations around where we live and all of a sudden our street is being used by all and sundry to abandon their cars for days at end. My mother in law lives with us, she is a senior and has several health issues and unfortunately having no ability to park around is causing us a lot of trouble. 

Sadly her age related issues do not account as disability so the council have refused to help. Any help from you will be really appreciated.

[jbrennand]

This is just my opinion.... but I do think you should be prepared to activate an alternative plan.

As said in message 2 if that duct was installed years ago and had planning permission for that location - which looks like it is on the pavement and is thus not suitable to be driven over by heavy vehicles. VM will never relocate it at a cost of many tens of thousands of pounds - why should they?

To rebuild the "duct" to bear that additional weight will also cost thousands of pounds - I am guessing they will only do that if you are prepared to pay the full costs - and it will drag on for years as it would not be done by VM but a 3d party profit making subcontractor.

Hopefully the survey when it eventually happens (in that regard - note that sightings of VM AFM's are rarer than those of Lord Lucan) may offer some more positive options.

[dropkerb]

I appreciate that and understand the situation well and am also aware of the possibility that this might never happen. 

However our council has decided to convert every street surrounding us into a CPZ expect ours and there are about 12 houses that do not have a driveway and all of a sudden due to the new rules, we have lots of cars being left outside our houses by people who live or work around and dont want to pay additional money for parking their cars. 

I have an elderly person at home who struggles to walk but cant be considered disabled and therefore we cant have a disabled bay. We also have an infant and the trouble of parking our car at different places every day, sometimes in the station car park for a cost of £6.50 each day is getting to us. 

If we feel that this is a dead end then unfortunately our only option will be to sell the house.