Place materials on the road
An exciting project is underway within Highways to transform our online services. An extremely important aspect of the project is to speak with people who use our services; giving opportunities to review and try our new designs, and to capture feedback about the experience. If you are a contractor who has applied for a highway service, and you would like to participate in user research, please let us know.
Before you apply
Before any temporary minor work is carried out on the public highway you are required to obtain a licence from us.
You will need a Section 171 licence if your work involves working on the highway for any of the following:
- Depositing materials or equipment on the highway (including the footway)
- Building or repairing a boundary wall
- Carrying out tree works
- Using a cherry picker
- Using traffic lights, stop/go boards or other traffic management
Road closures do not require a Section 171, if you need to close the road you will need to apply for a road closure. If your work requires more extensive excavations you will need to apply for a Section 50 licence.
Please note that Section 171 licences do not cover placing skips or scaffolding on the highway. You will need to apply for specific licences for each of these.