§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance he is now giving to local highway authorities in Wales with regard to the payment for damage done to highways in Wales by the fracturing of water mains and the consequential costs of repairs.
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§ Sir Wyn RobertsThe Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950 contains provisions on the liability of water authorities and other undertakers to highway authorities for damage caused to the property of the highway authority. However, the current provisions have led to a number of disputes over the apportionment of costs of repairing roads following the fracturing of water mains. The New Roads and Street Works Bill now before Parliament would replace the 1950 Act provisions with a straightforward duty on undertakers to compensate the highway authority in respect of any damage or loss suffered by the authority as a result of the execution of street works or an event such as burst main.