Overhead cables

davey_browning

We’re doing a self build and one of our neighbours has complaining that a delivery truck has ripped out an overhead power cable that ran between their house over the road to a shed they own on the other side of the road. It’s not a problem us fixing it if in fact it’s been damaged by something we’ve done I’m just wondering a couple of things.
1. We own the road and they only have a right of access over it. Does that mean we own the airspace and so they can’t put a cable over the road without our say so.
2. Are there any regulations you have to comply with when doing this sort of thing over a private road?
Many thanks
Dave

societys_child

There are various regulations. You can't just string any old wire across, it has to be supported from a wire as far as I know. Also it should be high enough to avoid being brought down by traffic passing under it. But as it's your private road these may not apply, then again as it's your road, I would have thought they need permission (from you)?

diable

Tell then you are fine with them laying the cable under the road.

What is the spec of the cable as if they have just thrown over a T+E cable then it could be a danger?

27col

If a delivery truck has ripped down an overhead cable then it was obviously not high enough in the first place. I'm a bit out of date with the IEE regs but I'm pretty sure that there are minimum heights for overhead cables. This is regardless of any issues about permission for the cable to pass over your land. I think that power companies have to get a permission known as a way-leave to run cables over private land. Perhaps someone with more up to date knowledge will be along soon. Tell them to replace the cable themselves and to make sure that it meets all the requisite regulations. Particularly as to clearance and suspension support.

DVardysShadow

If it is your road, the neighbours need a wayleave to run a cable. Their right to go along the lane does not cut it. But be careful. It may be that your predecessors in ownership of the lane did give a wayleave. They need to get this replaced to a good standard with adequate height or ducted.

Hintza

Just before we knocked the cottage down the digger ripped out the phobe cable. BT man came along nd said it was too low and had to be at 5.5m (we were about 4m) I pointed out the cottage was getting demolished in a month or twos time but he insisted (sp)

So 5.5m is the answer you are looking for.

ROY47

"So 5.5m is the answer you are looking for"

wrong

for overhead electricity wires (owned by the electricity companies) it is is 5.8 m over a public roadway

geri1965_2

I would be very surprised if there was not a wayleave in force. Cables need to be at a statutory height and if a truck was able to damage it, then it is too low. This could have happened due to excavation works on the ground below. The electricity company will fix their own cable so you shouldn't need to do anything.

ROY47

The electricity company will fix their own cable so you shouldn't need to do anything.

BUT it's not the property of the leccy company

it's a private cable from house to a shed over private land !