At EPS Trenchless Installations we want to make the whole pipework installation process smooth sailing for our customers — from start to finish — so we offer an end-to-end service for handling Section 50 licence applications for public highway works.
Our service to you includes obtaining from the relevant highway authority their application form, submitting the paperwork on your behalf and monitoring your application progress. We will also keep you informed every step of the way right through to obtaining licence approval.
By overseeing the application process for a Section 50 street works licence, with minimal input required from our customers, we can save you precious time and remove the administrative burden of applying yourself. This can be especially beneficial if approval is needed within a strict timeframe or if multiple works across diverse sites are needed.
A Section 50 licence is the permission required under s50 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to carry out works to excavate the public highway. This includes tunnelling and boring under the street to install or replace pipes, ducts, and cables. Any organisation or individual that doesn’t have an automatic legal right to carry out street works under the 1991 Act — known as non-statutory undertakers — must apply for a Section 50 street works licence.
As a non-statutory undertaker, you must obtain a Section 50 licence from your highway authority before you can dig, tunnel or bore into a road to place or retain utilities apparatus. Any failure to comply with Section 50 licensing requirements is a criminal offence.
If you want to carry out works in relation to apparatus in the public highway and don’t have an automatic legal right to do so, you must apply for a Section 50 licence. It’s only statutory undertakers, such as utility companies, who don’t need a s50 street work licence.
A Section 50 licence isn’t needed for works carried out on private land, but if your planned works intersect or are close to public sewers or drains, you may need a ‘build over agreement’.
The law around licensing aims to balance the right of Section 50 licence holders to carry out street works with the rights of authorities and road users to expect that works are undertaken in a manner that reflects the required statutory standards. These standards include:
To facilitate the processing of your Section 50 licence application, we will need the site location and details regarding your proposed street works. This will include what needs to be done, when the work will commence, how it will be executed and its expected duration.
We will also require supporting documentation. A checklist of any evidential requirements are often published by local authorities on the Section 50 licence section of their websites.
We charge our customers a fixed fee for each Section 50 licence application. Additionally, highway authorities impose their own fees for processing and issuing Section 50 street works licences, which can vary widely. We will handle payment of the council’s fee on your behalf and invoice you for this amount, along with our fixed fee, once the licence has been issued.
The time it takes to acquire a Section 50 street works licence can vary based on the highway authority and nature of the works involved, from a few days to several weeks. Many authorities provide processing timescales on their websites, and in any written acknowledgement on receipt of a licence application, of which we will keep you informed.
Once your Section 50 licence has been approved, and prior to commencing licensed street works, you must also serve an appropriate notice on any affected authorities.
On approval of a Section 50 licence you will become an undertaker for the purposes of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. This will attract a number of statutory duties, including service of prescribed notices — both pre and post completion.
We can help to submit the necessary paperwork for these notices and can advise you further on fulfilling your statutory responsibilities as a Section 50 licence holder.
In the event that your proposed street works are subject to changes or delays, we can communicate these issues with the relevant highway authority on your behalf. Our aim is to ensure that any required amendments to the Section 50 licence are smoothly facilitated.
After completing the permitted street works under your Section 50 licence, you will be required to notify the highway authority with the relevant details using their prescribed form. We can again assist in the preparation of this paperwork to provide on completion and reinstatement.
Any site visits will depend on the nature and scope of the street works under your section 50 licence, plus the policies of the relevant highway authority. All local authorities are empowered to carry out investigatory works to check if a section 50 licence holder has complied with their statutory duties around site safety and reinstatement of the street post-completion.
Inspections can take place when works are in progress, ensuring signs and barriers are there to protect workers and road users, or when works are completed, ensuring the road is reinstated.
Do you need to obtain a Section 50 street works licence but are unsure of where to begin?
Section 50 licences are crucial for installing new or maintaining existing apparatus in the public highway. Contractors planning to carry out roadwork excavations must obtain a Section 50 street works licence before commencing work, otherwise risk serious legal consequences.
To assist with your application for a Section 50 licence, here are 10 useful tips:
Start to plan as early as possible to allow for unexpected delays.
Gather all required documents with reference to any local authority checklist.
Make sure you understand the requirements of the relevant highway authority.
Double-check all licence application paperwork to avoid delays or rejection.
Maintain clear communication with local authority officials about your proposed works.
Collaborate with local authorities, utility companies, and any other relevant parties.
Always address any highway authority concerns or queries as quickly as possible.
Keep careful track of the progress of your application to pre-empt any problems.
Comply with all relevant guidelines, both prior to applying and during the licence lifecycle.
Hire professionals experienced in Section 50 licence requirements and responsibilities.
We are dedicated to complying with all Section 50 licence requirements. We also strive to foster positive relationships with local authorities, statutory undertakers, and the communities in which we work by engaging in proactive collaboration throughout each project lifecycle.
By adhering to the key principles of coordination, communication and cooperation embodied in Section 50 licence legislation, we aim to ensure the successful completion of our installation projects, while minimising disruption and maximising safety for all stakeholders involved.
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