A Street works or s50 Licence is required where you or your client needs to install utility apparatus, such as a gas or sewer connections, into the highway and you or your client are not a Statutory Undertaker ordinarily licensed to do so.
Any person or organisation who wishes to carry out works on a highway, will need to apply for a street works licence (Section 50 Licence). This requirement does not apply to anyone acting under a statutory right.
Permits are required for most work in the road or pavement that takes place on any publicly maintainable highways. Permissible works include such things as: street works - work on plant and apparatus in the street by undertakers.
If you'd like to carry out street works on the public highway, you must be in possession of a Section 50 licence or a Section 171 licence. Works covered by a Section 50 licence under the New Road and Street Works Act 1991 include: breaking open, boring or tunnelling under any street.
By 1 April 1999, it was a requirement that highway authorities had an NRSWA system in place to receive notices electronically and by 1 April 2001 undertakers were 'strongly recommended' to have their own systems in place.
What is the NRSWA (Streetworks) Re Assessment/ Renewal?
Who needs a street Works card?
Operatives: Individuals directly involved in tasks like excavation, reinstatement, and sign placement on public highways require a Streetworks card. This includes groundworkers, machine operators, and those involved in utility installations.
Prices include your official street works card and all certification from: 1 Day Reassessment: £295. One day unit 2 or 10 signing, lighting and guarding courses: £165. Five day full operative or supervisors courses (including hotlay unit): £575.
The registration body will then record the certificate on the street works register and issue you with a street works card. Each certificate on the card will last for 5 years from the certification date, ie the date the awarding organisation issued the certificate.
NRSWA Training courses are designed for Supervisors and Operatives who are required to carry out their duties to the standards prescribed by City & Guilds in-line with the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA), current legislation, and applicable Approved Codes of Practice (ACOP's).
In reality, no single individual has complete ownership over any public right of way; rather, it is subject to various local laws and regulations which serve to protect both private property owners and those using the area for public access.
Responsibilities: Undertake thorough inspections of street works, highway infrastructure, and surface apparatus defects, ensuring compliance with street works legislation, regulations, and codes of practice.
A licence gives permission to excavate or open the footway or carriageway to carry out various works on the highway. Licensing is to balance the needs of businesses and residents with the public expectation of an unobstructed footway.
Statutory undertakers have a duty, under section 81 of NRSWA, to maintain apparatus in the street to the reasonable satisfaction of the street authority, having regard for the safety and convenience of traffic, the structure of the street and the integrity of apparatus in it.
Any structure which permanently overhangs the public highway must be licensed in accordance with Section 177 of the Highways Act 1980. This is often referred to as an oversailing licence.
What is Section 50 of the New Roads and Streetworks Act 1991?
Any person or organisation who wishes to carry out work within, excavate, or break through the existing public highway (roads and pavements) will need to apply for a licence under Section 50 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA).
In order to place a crane on the public highway a Section 178 licence must be granted before works take place. A Section 178 licence is also required before placing a MEWP, scissor lift, cherry picker or concrete pump (or similar) on the highway.
Groundworks/Street Works | Building Heroes. On successful completion of this course you will gain skills equivalent to a Level 2, and achieve a Streetworks Operative Award, Health & Safety, CSCS Card, and registration on the Street Works register.
And it is not a legal requirement to have CSCS to work on the roads unlike NRSWA. However some, especially larger sites may ask all construction workers have a CSCS card, so it is worth looking into if it is something you may need.
The New Roads and Street Works (NRSWA) course is made up of a variety of units and the online course coincides with this. Each online unit consists of several short videos which include a PowerPoint presentation and, in some instances, a filmed practical exercise.
The NRSWA operative courses are for anyone who wants to undertake physical work on roads within the UK. Including excavation, backfill, reinstatement, signing, guarding and using tarmac and cold-lay materials. On every site there needs to be at least one qualified operative who is there at all times.
To renew your card, you must pass your NRSWA reassessment – this involves passing a multiple-choice online 45 minute test for each relevant unit. There are a variety of course options when it comes to your Street Works reassessment. Your experience and level of knowledge will tell you what is right for you.
