The Section 50 licence

The Section 50 licence

If work needs to excavate or place or maintain equipment or pipe work or cables within the highway.

Section 50

Steps

If you would like to apply for the Section 50 licence follow these steps:

Step 1: Read about the Section 50 licence

Step 2: Apply (if your organisation does not yet have an online account, go and create a company account)

Step 3: Read the guidance notes

Step 4: Track your application via your dashboard - you can find an application based on the request ID, the location, the type of application, the work type, the road name, the town, postcode or the date the works are expected to happen: Login to your account

Why do you need the Section 50 licence?

You need the Section 50 licence (unless you are acting under a statutory right) if you need to excavate or place or maintain equipment or pipe work / cables within the highway, including if you wish to place, retain and thereafter inspect, maintain, adjust, repair, alter or renew apparatus, or change its position or remove it from the highway. 

You can only start the work when the licence has been issued and signed by the Street Works Manager and returned to you for retention (the licence will be a pdf document). Any work done prior to this will constitute an illegal opening of the highway (this may not apply in the case of an emergency opening).

If the start date has changed from the one on the original licence application you must inform the Street Works team immediately by email Section50@worcestershire.gov.uk so that road space can be booked for the new dates.

Please note:

  • Section 104 agreement needs to be obtained from water utility company for new clean water connection
  • Section 106 agreement needs to be obtained from Severn Trent Water, for new sewerage and drainage works within the highway boundary
  • applicants must inform the Statutory Undertakers of the proposals and request plans indicating the location of any apparatus they may have in the vicinity of the proposed works
    • no work should be carried out until this has been done - failure to comply can result in Statutory Undertaker’s apparatus being damaged – this can be expensive and dangerous
  • please refer to Code of Practice for the Co-ordination of Street Works (GOV.UK) regarding late submission of notices
  • if for any reason we need to check any information submitted we may need to contact you for clarification - please see the Council's Privacy Notice for further information about how we use your information.

How long does the application process take?

The application will take 28 days to process so please give as much notice as possible.

You can track your application via your dashboard based on the request ID, the location, the type of application, the work type, the road name, the town, postcode or the date the works are expected to happen.

Fees

The cost of  the Section 50 licence is £650, but there may be additional fees for larger or more complex works: 

  • the £650 fee is for up to 200m length, £1000 (deep open excavation), £250 is payable per additional 200 metres (or part), an additional £200 per street is payable for work in adjacent streets
  • this is payable by credit/debit card or purchase order, please note that an additional £40 is applied for any payments that require a purchase order

Next steps

Does your organisation already have an account?

If your organisation has already applied for permits or licences such as road closures, skips etc. via our online systems, your organisation should already have an account. 

If your organisation does not yet have an account with us, please go to the create a company account page.

Apply

Before you start your application

For your application you will need to:

  • provide the documents mentioned below (please note that some of these documents may already be attached to your account if you already have an online account with us):
    • proof of public liability insurance (to the value of £5M minimum, please note it has to be the contractor's public liability insurance)
    • proof of NRSWA accreditation
      • the accreditation must be valid at the point of work
      • you need to provide a scanned image of the front and back of the NRSWA
      • all contractors must be accredited in accordance with HAUC; all permanent reinstatements must be undertaken by accredited contractors and guaranteed as required by the reinstatement specification, i.e. all supervisors must be accredited, and each site must have one trained and accredited operative
    • any agreements with the utilities, if applicable
  • pay online or provide a purchase order number
  • have your login details in hand - if your organisation has already applied for permits or licences such as road closures, skips etc. via our online systems, your organisation should already have an account, however, if your organisation does not have yet an account, please go to create a company account page.

Apply for the Section 50 licence

Please make sure you read the guidance notes below as the notes will help you to submit your application and let you know what happens after. Please note that some guidance is on the form as you progress online.

Once you have submitted your application, you can track it via your dashboard based on the request ID, the location, the type of application, the work type, the road name, the town, postcode or the date the works are expected to happen.

Login to your account to start your application

Application guidance notes

You will need to provide the following information

1. Location of proposed works:

  • this will be identified by placing pins on a GIS map within the form which will automatically populate details like the USRN, the district, the town, the road name etc.
  • a location description
  • any relevant planning application reference numbers

2. Description of work - you will need to identify what type of work it is:

  • new work
  • remedial (a previous or existing reference of original work will need to be provided)
  • interim to permanent a previous or existing reference of original work will need to be provided)

3. Duration of work - how long the work will take in days, not counting any weekends or bank holidays.

4. If the work will involve any excavation or moling, you will need to know the expected length and width and depth of the excavation in metres.

5. Carriageway restrictions

  • width of unobstructed carriageway in metres
  • type of carriageway restriction (traffic management)

6. Footway restrictions:

  • any footway restrictions, including the minimum remaining width for pedestrians to use

7. The category of the work: immediate, minor, standard or major; will be derived from the information you have input into the form.

8. You will be given the earliest start date for the work, which you can move back if you wish.

9. You will have to enter an end date for the works, depending on how long a duration you chose.

10. You will be asked to agree to our Terms and Conditions.

11. You will be asked to sign off a declaration at the end of the form.

When the work has started

1. On commencement of works, a Start Notice must be submitted online from 1 July 2020 no later than:

  • in the case of works starting within the period beginning with 12am and ending with 7:59am on a working day, 10am on the same day
  • in the case of works starting within the period beginning with 8am and ending with 4:30pm on a working day, two hours after the start of the works
  • in the case of works starting within the period beginning with 4:31pm and ending with 11:59pm on a working day, 10am on the next working day
  • in the case of works starting on a day that is not a working day, 10am on the next working day

2. Once the works are completed you must submit the Stop Notice online from 1 July 2020 no later than:

  • in the case of a highway returned fully to public use within the period beginning with 12am and ending with 7:59am on a working day, 10am on the same day
  • in the case of a highway returned fully to public use within the period beginning with 8am and ending with 4:30pm on a working day, two hours after that full return
  • in the case of a highway returned fully to public use within the period beginning with 4:31pm and ending with 11:59pm on a working day, 10am on the next working day
  • in the case of a highway returned fully to public use on a day that is not a working day, 10am on the next working day

3. Within ten days the completed Registration of Works form, giving the details of the reinstatement, must be submitted online. An ‘AS LAID’ drawing of the apparatus must be attached to the online submission. It can be a scanned document in the following formats: PDF, JPEG, PNG.

4. Registration can be done on site by using a mobile device, this is done by using ‘my location’ on the GIS map facility and pinning the points where the work has taken place. The online form will retain the information and the site map can then be uploaded at the site and registration completed or back in the office.

5. Failure to provide the correct notices within the timescales may result in the issue of a fixed penalty notice.

As of 1 August 2020, Fixed Penalty Notices will be issued for ‘late’ Start/Stop notices in line with the new legislation.

Please refer to Code of Practice for the Co-ordination of Street Works and Works for Road Purposes and Related Matters, chapter 11 (Department of Transport website) regarding late submission of notices.

6. Works that are not completed by the agreed end date on your notice will be subject to NRSWA Section 74 charges unless prior agreement for an extension has been reached with the Street Works team.

7. Signing, Lighting and Guarding shall be as specified in the Code of Practice for Safety at Street Works and Road Works (Department of Transport website). Particular consideration must be taken to meet the needs of people with disabilities. If any form of Temporary Traffic Management is required as part of your application, please go to the Traffic management and highways applications page.

8. Reinstatements must be completed in accordance with the specification for the reinstatement of openings in highways. Information on road types can be obtained from the Street Works team by emailing Section50@worcestershire.gov.uk. 

9. A register of accredited Individuals is held by The Street Works Qualifications Register.

Notes

  • you will receive an email containing a summary of your request with a unique reference number for your request
  • you are advised to apply for any temporary management applications as soon as possible and quote the unique reference when doing so
  • it is still possible to contact the Streetworks team by email with any queries: Section50@worcestershire.gov.uk
  • the Streetworks team may contact by email or by telephone after submission of your request to ask for further information and or clarification
  • you can track your application based on the request ID, the location, the type of application, the work type, the road name, the town, postcode or the date the works are expected to happen

You can save partly completed forms and go back to them via your login.

Useful links

Download the Section 50 guidance notes (PDF)

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