Why do we need a permit scheme?
It is proposed, under the powers of the Traffic Management Act 2004, to introduce a Permit Scheme, to enable us to better manage activities in the public highway.
In particular it aims to improve our ability to minimise disruption from utility companies street works and its own highway works, both of which are covered by the scheme.
The objective is to control and coordinate works on its strategic and traffic sensitive road network (copy of map of the strategic and traffic sensitive road network can be found below) in order to minimise the effect of the work's on Northamptonshire’s road network.
The scheme provides a change from the ‘notification system’ of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. Instead of informing the county council, as the street authority, about its intention to carry out works in the area, a utility company will need to book time on the highway through a permit, as would the county council, and its partners, for its own works.
Under the scheme both utility companies’ activities and the county council’s activities as highway authority are treated in the same way with regard to co-ordination and the setting of conditions.
Consultation
A consultation period concerning the proposed introduction of the Permit Scheme runs until the 31 December 2009.
At the end of the consultation period, the responses will be analysed and where considered to be necessary, the Permit Scheme will be amended to take into account views of the consultees.
If, as a result of the consultation, the Permit Scheme is amended, a further consultation will take place to enable the consultees to see the changes that have been made.
A copy of the Permit Scheme which is being proposed to be submitted to the Department of Transport can be found below, together with a questionnaire to assist with responses, along with the letter that is being sent to all consultees.
Also below is a copy of the scope document for Cost Benefit Analysis for the scheme.