Road closure Source: Shutterstock

Last week, roadworks took place outside homes in St Thomas Street, Penryn. While only lasting a few hours, the work that took place blocked people’s homes and caused disruptions to residents. With prior acknowledgement on the roadworks, homeowners would usually be able to prepare for any disruptions that could affect them, but they knew nothing about the planned work.

“all you can hear are the drills right outside and it’s pretty much blocking our front door”

One resident of St Thomas Street, who would prefer to remain anonymous, expressed how they were taken by surprise by the roadworks and would prefer not to be left in the dark:

“We’re trying to sit here and study and trying to sit here and have a nice dinner and all you can hear are the drills right outside and it’s pretty much blocking our front door when they didn’t even have the courtesy to tell us.

“If they’d said, ‘there’s going to be road works here this time and it’s going to be going on for this long’ that would have been fine because at least we know but we were there thinking well we don’t know how long they’re going to be there.”

Warnings ahead of roadworks are usually put in place with plenty of time prepare – why was this time any different?

Roadworks are unavoidable, they’re a necessity that we all have to live with but many believe that if more was done to inform those who will be affected, then homeowners could be more prepared. Rachel Macadie, another resident of St Thomas Street, said the worst part of the roadworks was that there was “no warning.”

the worst part of the roadworks was that there was “no warning.”

“If you have young children then you need to be aware of any noise disruption that’s going to interfere with their routines, if they have to be up early for school.” She said,

“There’s not like you can do anything about it but just having the awareness so it’s not just a complete and utter shock.”

After contacting Cormac, we found out that the roadworks on St Thomas Street was undertaken by BT. BT doesn’t have to abide by the same laws as Cormac which ensures that residents know about the roadworks that take place, unless in situations which are deemed an emergency. Maybe it’s about time BT introduce regulations that put pressure on them to notify anyone who could be disrupted by roadworks?