British Telecom has been fined £7,000 for breaching safety rules while carrying out work in Newham.

While carrying out work at Maryland Point in September last year, an Openreach team was found to be breaching an agreed traffic management plan which called for the crossing outside Maryland station to be closed and a set of three-way temporary traffic lights installed instead.

Another incident in nearby Windmill Lane saw workers close a one-way section of the road without authority, forcing vehicles to mount the footpath and cycle lane to get by.

BT pleaded guilty to both breaches and were fined £5,000 for the first and £2,000 for the second. Newham Council was also awarded £3,507 in costs.

Cllr Rachel Tripp, cabinet member for highways and the environment, said: “We expect all responsible companies to co-operate with us to make sure any works on our roads and footways are carried out with the safety of residents at their heart.”