Introduction
On 28th June 2010 the Secretary of State for Transport gave the council approval to introduce a permit scheme, and we are intending to commence the scheme from 10th January 2011.
At the announcement of the scheme approval the Transport Minister Norman Barker said:
"Although we all know that road works are sometimes unavoidable the disruption they cause can be hugely frustrating for drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians as well as costing businesses time and money. That is why it is important that councils use the powers they have to make sure utility firms carry out works with consideration for those who use the road."
"We are determined to tackle problem road works and make sure that those who dig up the roads are made accountable when disruption occurs".
Why do we need a permit scheme?
The Traffic Management Act 2004 allows the introduction of a Permit Scheme in order to enable the better management of work activities in the public highway. In particular it aims to improve our ability to minimise disruption to road users, from utility company's 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 (a map showing our 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. Anyone carrying out works within any of these roads will legally need to apply for a permit.
The permit scheme
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. The county council can choose to grant a permit, apply conditions to a granted permit or decline permission to work within the highway.
Under the scheme both utility companies' activities and the county council's own activities as highway authority are treated in the same way with regard to co-ordination and the setting of conditions.