Apply for a street works licence - Non utility companies

Any person or organisation who wants to carry out works on a highway, needs to apply for a street works licence (Section 50 Licence).

This requirement does not apply to anyone acting under a statutory right.

Any of the following activities on a highway will constitute street works and require an application:

• placement of apparatus
• retention of apparatus
• inspection of apparatus
• repair of apparatus
• alteration of apparatus
• changing the position of apparatus
• removal of apparatus.

Regulation changes from October 2015

Pending approval, the current London Operational Permitting Scheme is due to be revised to comply with amended regulations on 1 October 2015. The Royal Borough of Greenwich has made an Order, as required, to ensure compliance with the new regulations.

Download the Royal Borough of Greenwich's Traffic Management Permit Scheme Order

Notice periods

It can take up to a month for us to process a street works licence. We carry out site visits and consider how people use the highway.

The table below shows how far in advance you need to apply based on the duration of works.

Application forms 

To avoid delays, make sure you:

• submit the correct form
• pay the right amount

If you submit the wrong form, we'll ask you to resubmit your application.

Guidance on how to complete the forms are included in the application packs.

Sewer connections

Download the Section 50 street works licence (sewer connections) application pack

Other works

this includes cable works, gas connections and vehicle crossovers.

Download the Section 50 street works licence (other works) application pack

Utility works - Section 14.1 planned temporary traffic management notice

Download the Section 14.1 planned temporary traffic management notice request form

Documents and evidence

You'll need to provide the following documents with your application to avoid delays:

• scaled site plans
• traffic management plans (if applicable)
• permission from utility companies allowing your company access to their assets (if applicable)
• scans or photocopies of the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) cards for the crew carrying out the works
• your company liability insurance
• cheque or proof of payment (such as the payment reference number or BACS receipt)

Excavation

We can grant highway excavation as part of a street works licence to any:

• street works accredited developer
• street works accredited contractor.

This grants the applicant temporary authority to excavate the highway during the licenced works.

Failure to apply

It's an offence to start street works without a licence under the Highways Act 1980 and the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 .

Any failure to comply with this requirement may result in:

• prosecution, including full recovery of our costs
• removal of any equipment

All street works licences are subject to the requirements of the New Roads and Street Works 1991 and its codes of practice.