Working in a public road or footpath

Planning roadworks

As the Highway Authority for nearly all public roads and footpaths in the County of Lincolnshire, we want to ensure roadworks are well planned and managed to minimise the disruption to all users of the roads and footpaths. Therefore we want to encourage you to work with us by ensuring traffic is managed as efficiently as possible and reducing the time working in the public road or footpath to one single event. This will benefit both of us in the following ways:

  • You will finish your works safely and sooner.
  • We will have traffic flow returned to normal sooner.
  • You will save costs with reduced time and fewer defects to repair.
  • We will have a safe road or footpath for users to travel along.
  • Our working relationship will become stronger.
  • Our relationship with the community will be strengthened.

What we need from you

To achieve the benefits above you shall produce a works programme which shall include:

  • Details of proposed new roads and footpaths joining the public road or footpath.
  • Details of public road or footpath improvements.
  • Utility network connections or diversions such as gas, water, electricity etc.
  • Reinforcement to utility networks.
  • Details of temporary works.
  • Traffic management plan.
  • Expected duration.
  • Risk register – identifying risks to duration and extent of the work.

What we provide to you

When we have received your works programme we shall assist you with the following:

  • Advise you on managing the traffic.
  • Provide you with provisional dates to work in the public road or footpath.
  • Encourage collaboration with you and other third party works in the same location.
  • Attend meetings with you and utility service providers.
  • Assist in delays or issues with utility network connections.
  • Provide information for onsite notice boards.

Working together

It is important we work together and you liaise with us and utility service providers to ensure orders are placed in good time to enable one or both of the following:

  • Collaborative works – where multiple parties work in the same area benefitting from trench sharing or the same traffic management setup.
  • Consecutive works – where multiple parties work consecutively one after the other without delay using the same traffic management setup.

Working with the community

If your works require a road closure, temporary traffic lights for two weeks or more or we consider the location to be sensitive to roadworks, you will need to produce a communications plan.

Communications plan

It is your responsibility to engage and respond to the local community. Your communications plan shall include the following information:

  • The location of where you will be working.
  • A description of what you will be working on.
  • How long you will be working.
  • You will identify the roads and footpath affected by your work.
  • How you will manage the traffic.
  • What restrictions will be used such as road or footpath closures, traffic diversions, temporary speed limit reduction etc.
  • Your phone number and email address for general enquiries and complaints.
  • Emergency contact details for all companies involved.
  • Advance warning signs for road and footpath closures, and temporary traffic lights for two weeks or more.
  • Variable message signs for locations we consider to be sensitive to roadworks.

Your communications plan, approved by us, shall be delivered to the members of the local community and may include:

  • Residents
  • Businesses
  • County and District Councillors
  • Town or Parish Council
  • Schools
  • Bus operators
  • Emergency services
  • A press release

The communications plan will be a live document and if your works programme changes or you receive a high amount of complaints you may need to review your communications plan and redeliver to the local community.

Approval of a competent contractor

If you are entering a section 278 agreement to improve a public road or footpath you must appoint a Principal Contractor to fulfil the duties required within the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015).

Application for contractor approval

Your Principal Contractor shall apply for approval so we can assess their knowledge, skills and experience to work in the public road or footpath.

To complete the application, we recommend your Principal Contractor creates an account to save their progress. Please ensure they have the relevant information prior to starting the application process and provide the following:

  • Your details as the client.
  • Principal contractor details.
  • Location of the works.
  • Public liability insurance (minimum cover must be £10 million).
  • Employers liability insurance.
  • Health and safety information (including policies and information relating to compliance with Principal Contractor duties within CDM 2015).
  • Health and safety record for the previous five years.
  • Details of up to three relevant comparable works previously delivered.
  • References from previous comparable schemes (please note we will contact the referees provided as part of this application).

Application fee

An application fee of £250 shall be paid by card at the end of the online application and no other payment method shall be accepted. The application fee will not be refunded if the application is refused.

Application approval

Following payment of the application fee we shall review the application and contact your Principal Contractor for further information if required. When we are satisfied with the application we shall confirm approval to the email address provided.

Apply for approval of a competent contractor

For any enquiries, please email nmcompliance@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

Apply to work in a public road or footpath

It is unlawful to carry out works on public roads and public footpaths without permission.

Application to work

You should apply three months in advance and shall have one or more of the following:

  • Application approval for a section 38 agreement to join a public road or footpath.
  • A section 278 legal agreement to improve the layout of a public road or footpath.
  • A minor section 278 legal agreement where a new addition is made to a public road or footpath.
  • Approval of competent contractor to improve the layout of a public road or footpath.

An application will be refused if one or more of the above relevant to the work proposed is not in place.

You shall also provide the following information:

  • Your details as the client.
  • Principal contractor details.
  • Traffic management contractor details (where necessary).
  • Planning permission reference number.
  • Location plan of the works.
  • Traffic management plan.
  • Works programme.
  • Approved design drawings.
  • Public liability insurance (minimum cover shall be £10 million).
  • Supervisors and operatives accreditation as required in The Street Works (Qualification of Supervisors and Operatives) England, Regulations 2009.

Temporary traffic restrictions

If your traffic management plan requires temporary restrictions to traffic, such as closures, speed limit reductions and other restrictions, you shall Apply for a temporary traffic restriction at the same time as your application to work.

Privately maintained utility connections

If you intend to install sewers, water, gas, electricity or any other apparatus under a public road or footpath which is to be privately maintained and not maintained by a statutory utility service provider, you must Apply for a licence.

Apply to work in a public road or footpath

For any enquiries, please email DevelopmentManagement@lincolnshire.gov.uk.