About the permit scheme for utility companies
Since 2015 we have been operating under the Traffic Management Permit Scheme Order. This is how we manage street and road works across Central Bedfordshire Council’s public highways.
About the scheme
We received around 600 permits per month and this permit scheme has been introduced to minimise disruption from street and road works. The permit schemes is deigned to improve the management of roadworks and reduce unnecessary disruption to the public using our network.
Anyone carrying out roadworks will legally need to apply to us in advance for permission. We can choose to grant a permit, apply conditions to a granted permit or decline permission for roadworks. These new powers mean we can improve the management of roadworks on the road network and reduce unnecessary disruption.
Benefits of the scheme
The permit scheme lets us manage and coordinate essential roadworks more effectively to minimise disruption to users and to the road network generally.
It benefits residents, businesses and visitors by:
- reducing delays and therefore less disruption to economic activity
- improving reliability of journey times, especially by public transport
- improving communication about the purpose and duration of works
- reducing roadworks by 5% to 10%
- reducing congestion, which will reduce vehicle emissions