Apply for a highways licence

Any person or organisation who wishes to carry out work within, excavate, or break through the existing public highway (roads and pavements) will need to apply for a licence under Section 50 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA). 

• The person granted the street works licence becomes an undertaker for the purposes of NRSWA. So, the licence holder holds the relevant duties and responsibilities imposed by the act and associated secondary legislation and codes of practice.
• Contractors must hold valid NRSWA accreditation. Contractors or other individuals without the appropriate NRSWA knowledge and accreditation will not be allowed to work within the public highway.
• Financial penalties may arise for the licence holder for non-compliance with the relevant statutory duties or licence conditions. Applicants must note that this liability cannot be delegated to any other person or organisation.
• The requirement to obtain the licence applies to any person or organisation (other than anyone acting under a statutory right) who wishes to place, retain and thereafter inspect, maintain, adjust, repair, alter, renew apparatus or change its position, or remove it from the highway. The term apparatus includes drains, cables, ducts, sewer pipes, water and gas pipes, and so on, both under, over, across, along, or upon the public highway.
• You must submit your application at least 10 working days before starting the proposed work. If works are to be carried out on the carriageway, you should also submit traffic management plans. Please note that if any works require a temporary traffic order (for example, a road closure), or if works are due to last longer than 11 working days, you must provide three months' notice.

The above guidance is not exhaustive of all the requirements of the licence. If you require further information or guidance, please contact  the Streetworks Team:

• Email: streetworks@lambeth.gov.uk
• Address: Streetworks Team, Traffic and Highways, London Borough of Lambeth, PO Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ