Skip permit terms and conditions
The terms and conditions in force for using a skip permit in County Durham in accordance with Section 139 of the Highways Act 1980.
All applicants are required to accept the following general terms and conditions together with any site specific conditions detailed in the licence prior to the skip being deposited on the highway under Section 139 of the Highways Act 1980 and under Section 65 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
These general terms and conditions, together with any site specific conditions detailed in the licence constitute "the Licence" for the deposition of a builder's skip on the highway.
- A hire agreement for a builder's skip deposited on the highway shall not be offered, made or entered into for a period greater than 14 days. A licence to deposit a builder's skip on the highway will not be granted for a period greater than 14 days.
- The licensee and owner (where different) shall indemnify the county council against any claims which may arise in consequence of their operations or through the existence of the skip(s) within the highway.
- Unless otherwise agreed with the area highways inspector and detailed in the site specific conditions relating to the licence, each skip shall be deposited on the carriageway outside the premises detailed in the licence and shall be positioned so that it does not: impede the surface water drainage of the highway; cause damage to the highway; obstruct access to any manhole or the apparatus of any statutory undertaker or Durham County Council.
- The licensee and/or the owner (where different) shall place an order with the county council for the permanent reinstatement of any part of the highway which may be damaged as a result of their operations.
- Where more than one skip is deposited on the highway at any one time, the skips shall be positioned as closely as possible to each other, but not so as to obstruct access to any premises unless the consent of the occupier of those premises has been obtained.
- No skip shall exceed 5 metres in length by 2 metres in width.
- Each skip or group of skips shall, while on the highway, be marked and lit in accordance with the following requirements: The ends of each skip (that is the sides of the skips facing traffic in both directions when the skip is positioned as mentioned in Condition 3 above), shall be painted yellow and marked in accordance with the Builders' Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984 (Statutory (Instrument 1984 No. 1933); the painting and the markings shall at all times be kept clean and efficient and clearly visible for a reasonable distance to persons using the highway on which the skip is placed; each skip shall be clearly and indelibly marked with the owner's name and with his telephone number or address; each skip shall be guarded by at least three traffic cones placed on the carriageway in an oblique line on the approach side of the skip. Where two or more skips are deposited in a row, so that the distance between adjacent skips does not exceed 2 metres, the row shall be guarded as if it were one skip; at night, (that is, between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sun rise) a danger lamp shall be placed against or attached to each corner of the skip or the end corners of a row of skips, where two or more skips are deposited in a row and the distance between adjacent skips does not exceed 2 metres and shall also be placed between each cone and the next. Each lamp shall be of the nature as prescribed in Paragraph 40 of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 (Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 1519) and shall remain lit throughout the night.
- No skip, when standing on the highway, shall contain any flammable, explosive, noxious or dangerous material or any material which is likely to putrefy or which otherwise is, or likely to become, a nuisance to users of the highway.
- No skip shall be used in such a way that any of its contents fall onto the highway, or that there is an escape of dust from the contents of the skip when standing on the highway.
- Each skip shall be removed for emptying as soon as practicable, and in any case not later than two working days after it has been filled.
- No skip shall remain on the highway pursuant to the licence after the period specified in the licence has expired.
- All materials placed in each skip shall be properly disposed of and the highway, where the skip or skips have been deposited, shall be left in a clean and tidy condition both during and on the expiration of the licence.
- The licence is valid only for the period specified within it.
- Under the provisions of the Local Authorities (Transport Charges) Regulations 1998, a fee is charged for the licence. Please note -Suspension of pay and display bays and/or fixed daily charge areas within the Durham City Controlled Parking Zone will incur an additional administration charge per space per week or part thereof. Payment must be made 1 week in advance of bay suspension. Please contact the Durham City Parking Shop, 56 North Road, Durham, DH1 4SF, telephone number 03000 263985 for further information.
- In the event that the skip or skips are required for a period greater than that provided by the licence, a further application must be made at least three days prior to the expiry of the existing licence and the appropriate fee paid.
- Site specific conditions, additional to these general terms and conditions, are detailed in the licence.
- Before proceeding with the placement of the skip(s) on the highway you must contact the Area Highways Inspector as nominated in the licence to arrange a joint site inspection of the proposed location.
- Permission will be deemed to have been given and the licence effective only on receipt, by the county council, of the email or other electronic acknowledgement or the duly completed and signed pro-forma attached to the licence.
- If, during the course of the period relating to the licence, circumstances change such that the county council, in pursuance of its duty under the Traffic Management Act 2004 to secure the expeditious movement of traffic on its road networks, requires the skip(s) to be moved, such a request must be actioned within 4 hours of the request being made.
- The county council reserves the right to vary the conditions of the licence at any time during the period of the licence in exercise of its statutory duties.
- The county council reserves the right to remove any skip which does not comply with these conditions as specified in section 139 and section 140 of The Highways Act 1980.