Highway management FAQs
Find out answers to the most common questions we get asked.
Who is highway management?
Highway management is a team of engineers and technicians working with new developments, maintaining the highway records for the county and providing highway observations for planning applications. Simply speaking, the team provides a service for pre-consent and post-consent highway matters.
What does highway management do?
It organises Section 38 Agreements. This is the normal method of ensuring that new estate roads are built to an adoptable standard. The process provides certainty for the developer and residents that new roads will be adopted by the council.
It organises Section 278 Agreements. Developments often require access and improvement works within the existing highway which is covered by a Section 278 Agreement.
It organises Section 177 licences. Buildings may have permanent features which project outwards over the footway where the public walk below. The licence ensures projections meet design and highway safety requirements.
It investigates areas of existing highway concentrating on anomalies within the existing network and determining whether these areas of highway should be adopted by the council.
It organises 'stopping up' of highway. Some developers require that an existing highway or part of a road is permanently stopped up. This will normally be a condition of the granting of planning consent.
It organises 'gating orders' to restrict access, such as to rear lanes and alleys, where public order and nuisance is a serious concern.
It issues 'notices' under the Highways Act 1980 where encroachment and obstruction upon the highway occurs.
It reclassifies or classifies roads as a result of changes to the highway network.
It comments on highway matters for planning applications. The Development and Control team advise and comment on highway implications as part of the pre-consent planning process.
It officially names streets and provides property numbers for new developments, new buildings and converted properties. It also renumbers properties and confirms addressing queries.
What can affect road adoption?
Roads without kerbs, footways, surface water sewers, gullies, lighting, or the surface is in a bad condition or possibly that the geometry of the road may be unsuitable for use as a highway maintainable at public expense.