Organisations that can undertake work on the highway include (but are not limited to):
- utility companies and their contractors—installing and maintaining gas, water, electric, telephone, and internet connections
- Royal Mail, Network Rail, and the Environment Agency
- private contractors, such as those working at new developments or installing new utility apparatus privately
- the council and its contractors—carrying out routine highway maintenance or improvement works
In most cases, organisations are required to apply in advance to undertake the works, particularly when digging in the road or if the works will affect pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Exceptions include unplanned, urgent activities, which can commence without notice.
Works on private roads require the prior consent of the landowner(s) and are not assessed by the council.
Organisations responsible for works, must ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Each site should have appropriate barriers, lighting, and signage to protect public safety.
The organisations responsible must regularly inspect and maintain these measures and site managers are also required to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, including older individuals, children, and those with pushchairs.
Clear signage should provide clear instructions for navigating the site safely.
The council conducts inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards. However, with hundreds of activities occurring every month, it is not feasible for inspectors to check every site. Nevertheless, we aim to inspect as many as possible.
The most hazardous situations need to be rectified or made safe within 2 hours from the time they are reported.
Not all works require advance notification to residents, businesses, or services; but the expected level of disruption and any associated traffic management measures will typically determine whether notification is necessary.
Residents and businesses can track current and planned roadworks and traffic restrictions using our roadworks map.
The organisation carrying out the works is responsible for providing notifications. This may include direct communication via letter drops; alternatively, advance warning signs, or other means.
Residents, business owners and service providers can reasonably expect to be notified if:
- work is scheduled in the evening and will generate noise
- access to properties or premises will be significantly affected
- utility services to customers will be disrupted during the works
Notification is not generally expected if:
- the work is an emergency, as the issues being addressed are unforeseen - regardless of the time of day
- there is no notable impact on access to property or businesses
Typically, works may cause local inconvenience to residents on a street. Less frequently, they result in wider disruptions, affecting communities or thousands of road users.
Emergency or urgent activities
The council accommodates dozens of emergency and urgent works monthly, such as repairs to gas leaks, burst water mains, and hazardous potholes. These activities often arise with little or no notice and do not require prior approval.
Noise disruption
Construction noise and disruption to nearby residents and businesses are always considered. However, works carried out during the evening or night require additional attention, and we request that noise levels remain at an absolute minimum after 11pm.
Urgent and unplanned works will proceed regardless of the time, while other projects are scheduled for evenings or nights when it is determined that minimising disruption to daytime road users outweighs potential noise disturbances.
By conducting certain works outside of peak hours, roads can return to normal use during the day, benefiting road users who make up the greater majority.
Mitigating disruption to traffic and pedestrians
Given the demands on our road network, occasional disruption is unavoidable.
To manage works more effectively, the council operates a permit scheme, ensuring projects are conducted in a controlled manner. This scheme enhances coordination between works, better collaboration between organisations and improves compliance.
When assessing applications for works, the council prioritises:
- safety for road users and workers
- impacts on public and emergency services
- minimising disruption by setting conditions on works timings, duration, road space use and traffic management where appropriate
Compliance with imposed conditions is monitored, and non-compliance may result in fines.
Parking
If on-street parking facilities are removed, users should receive advance notification. Holders of an on-street parking permit may be advised of alternative parking locations for the duration of the works.
Public transport and bus stops
When bus stops are affected by works, a temporary alternative stop may be provided if it is safe to do so.
Impacts on bus services are considered during the works planning stage, and operators are notified of road closures and major works in advance. If buses cannot be accommodated, operators may need to make alternative arrangements and assist customers in planning their journeys.
Such situations might include:
- dangerous potholes, broken manhole covers, and other road surface defects
- burst water mains and gas leaks
- loss of electricity supply, phone, or broadband service to premises
The council and those responsible for resolving the problem operate under the same legislation, which facilitates emergency and urgent works to:
- prevent or resolve a dangerous situation
- prevent or resolve an unplanned interruption to supply, avoid substantial loss, or reconnect a supply
In practice, this means that while those responsible for the works continue to have a duty to work with the council in minimising disruption, the legislation allows these organisations to issue notifications of immediate works within two hours of commencement. Advance notice to the council is not required, and thus the council is not held accountable for delaying a response.
In some instances, depending on the situation, traffic management may be installed initially for safety before engineering works begin in earnest to fix the problem.
The council ensures that the duration of works is both reasonable and not prolonged.
Most of the time, works are completed within the original duration proposed. Any extensions to the duration should be properly evidenced by those responsible for the works.
Due to the nature of some works, durations can be subject to change - or are not always known in advance. This can be due to several factors:
- urgency of the work – durations are more likely to be known and reliable when works are planned in advance. In contrast, unplanned emergency works often proceed without the benefit of detailed preparation
- weather and ground conditions – adverse weather can halt or slow progress. Engineering works may also be affected by difficult ground conditions or congested underground utility networks
- traffic management - complex traffic management plans, limited access, or the need to maintain traffic flow can extend the duration of works
- resource availability - delays in the availability of materials, equipment, or workforce can impact timelines
- working hour restrictions - local regulations or permit conditions may limit working hours (e.g., prohibiting night or weekend work), which can extend the overall duration
- coordination with other stakeholders - a need for collaboration between different organisations can sometimes hinder progress
In many cases, roads are closed because they are not wide enough to accommodate the required works while allowing traffic to pass safely at the same time.
Before closures are introduced
Before a closure takes effect, the council ensures that key services - including rubbish and recycling collection, school transport, mobile libraries, social services, emergency services, bus operators, councillors, and town and parish councils - are notified in advance and have the opportunity to make any representations. Public services are expected to try and make alternative arrangements whilst roads are closed.
Residents and businesses can stay informed about planned roadworks and traffic restrictions using the roadworks map.
Sometimes roads are closed without notice in the event of emergencies.
In respect of planned road closures, organisations responsible for closing them are expected to:
- install advance warning signs at least one week before the closure
- notify all affected residences, businesses, and services situated along the extent of the road closure
During road closures
Access to closed roads is prohibited for vehicles unless explicitly authorised, and it is a criminal offence to use a vehicle in contravention of a road closure order.
Operatives may be stationed at closure points or on-site to provide guidance on access arrangements.
Access for emergency vehicles is expected to be maintained at all times, wherever possible. The council makes sure that emergency services are informed of proposals at the earliest opportunity and that those responsible for closing roads maintain access for emergency services whenever required.
Where possible, we expect that reasonable access should be maintained for residences, businesses, schools, and healthcare services - but in cases where it cannot, affected parties should be informed before work begins, and alternative arrangements agreed.
Due to the nature of most roadworks requiring closures, specific access arrangements often depend on operational conditions on site at the time and cannot always be determined in advance.
Diversions
Drivers must follow the designated diversion route - which is typically signed - or seek an alternative route.
Signed diversions may not always appear to be the most direct or convenient option for locals. Diversions must follow roads of the same or higher classification than the closed route unless exceptional circumstances are agreed upon. Residents and other locals may be familiar with alternative routes better suited to their journey - so long as these roads are used appropriately and legally, any public highway can serve as an alternative.
After works are completed
Once works are finished and it is safe to reopen the road, the organisation responsible for the closure should promptly remove signage to clear the carriageway.
Works across driveways
Sometimes excavations are dug on the highway in front of private driveways.
If driveway access will be disrupted, this should only be for a short time for each driveway. Residents affected should be informed in advance by the organisation responsible for the work. The organisation might be able to make temporary arrangements to maintain access by guarding excavations.
You might wish to make alternative arrangements to park elsewhere if you know you'll need to use your vehicle.
You should contact the organisation responsible for the works to discuss your specific access arrangements during their works.
In 2019 and 2020, the Government set ambitious targets to deliver high-speed broadband to 85% of the population by 2025, with the aim of achieving nationwide coverage by 2030. These targets, supported by regulatory reforms and significant private investment, have driven a rapid expansion of fibre infrastructure across the UK.
Fibre companies are designated as statutory undertakers, granting them legal rights to install their equipment in the public highway. They are also required to meet their statutory obligations in relation to highway works. As these companies operate as competing private ventures, they do not typically coordinate their rollout plans, which is why residents and businesses may observe multiple companies carrying out similar works in the same area.
Those responsible for the works should arrange for equipment to be cleared and roads, pavements and verges returned back to normal use.
The council's main effort in this regard is protect the structure of the highway and limit costs on the 'public purse'.
There are national codes of practice that outline:
- how reinstatements should be completed and to what standard
- how sites should be inspected after works conclude
Most reinstatements are guaranteed for two years, during which time any failures are rectified by the organisation responsible for the work, not the council.
Reinstatements in roads and pavements
Organisations are expected to use the same materials for reinstatement as the surrounding surface, ensuring consistency and durability.
In some cases, reinstatements may be left in an interim state due to operational reasons. In such instances, permanent reinstatements should be completed within six months.
Additionally, some reinstatements require a curing period before traffic can safely use the affected areas again. Traffic management may remain in place for the safety of road users during this time.
Reinstatements in verges
For works affecting verges, organisations must rake, topsoil, and seed the area. A reasonable level of growth should be established within 12 months.
Addressing defective reinstatements
The council aims to inspect as many reinstatements in the road, pavement and verges as possible at least once within two years of completion, to assess reinstatement compliance.
If defects are identified, they are reported to the organisation responsible, who must rectify them as soon as possible and without delay if the situation is particularly hazardous.
The council usually checks every 28 days to see that the remedial works have resolved the defects identified, and much more frequently if the situation is particularly hazardous.
Staining and material residue on conclusion of works
Sites should cleared of spoil and materials, and swept once work is complete.
There should not be any remnants in the form of heavy or moderate deposits of material - silt or sand on the road or pavement.
It is reasonable, however, to expect that minor dusting and staining might remain on site following conclusion of works, even after the site has been swept. This will be washed away with rainfall that follows.