Agenda item

Mr Kevin Orledge, Streetworks Team manager for Surrey County Council, will outline the benefits arising from the first year of operating a permit scheme for streetworks.

Mr Kevin Orledge presented this item for information.

He explained that the Streetworks Permit replaced the previous system where utility companies had submitted notices of work to be undertaken, whereas now they must request access to the highway and pay fees (according to a scale set by the Department for Transport, DfT), giving details of the time period and working hours involved. He said that the system of notices had generated an income of £1.04m in line with previous projections which had covered the employment of additional staff to administer and inspect works undertaken. He noted that in future the DfT was moving towards a national set of conditions, and would incentivise work which was undertaken outside of commuting hours, which could have some impact on future income to Surrey County Council.

Members asked about the charges made in comparison with neighbouring councils and the DfT maximum, the reasons for refusal of permits, the proportion of Surrey Highways contractors granted permits, the road lane charging trial in London and Kent, and requested that Mr Orledge investigate why there had been a spike in the graph for one month as shown in Appendix 5 to the report.