Scottish Water fined for carrying out 'illegal roadworks' in Fife and Edinburgh

Scottish Water has been fined for carrying out ‘illegal roadworks’ in Edinburgh last November.

The Scottish Road Works Commissioner issued the £50,000 fine for closing streets in Fife and Edinburgh without following proper procedure during 2025.

Commissioner Kevin Hamilton said unauthorised closures, which he stated Scottish Water carried out, are illegal and cause ‘inconvenience and disruption for all of us’.

A spokesperson for the public utility said that it strived to ensure works were carried out in line with the law, but ‘unfortunately this was not achieved on this occasion.’

Mr Hamilton added: “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.

“It was particularly concerning that this was not the first time that Scottish Water has been penalised for breaches of this type.”

Mr Hamilton said he would meet with the public utility again in the near future to discuss an ‘action plan’ aimed at ensuring they do better.

The fines covered 15 breaches in Fife, as well as one in Edinburgh, which took place on the morning of Tarvit Street on November 22 last year for sewer works.

A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “Road closures are often necessary to ensure the safety of the public and our operatives while we carry out essential works to maintain our network.

“While we strive to ensure that works are carried out in full compliance with road legislation, unfortunately this was not achieved on this occasion.

“As a result, we have implemented an improvement plan to ensure lessons can be learned and we fully comply with regulations in future.”