Information on Loughborough

Charges proposed to boost road safety

Posted on 20/06/2007
Loughborough Newsdesk

hanging basketNew charges for putting skips and scaffolding on the road are to be considered this month.

Leicestershire County Councils ruling Cabinet will decide on June 27 whether to adopt the charges, to boost safety and cover costs.

At the moment, the County Council issues 4,000 permits for skips and 200 permits for scaffolding on the highway.

The Council is now proposing to introduce charges, so it can fund safety inspections.

These will take place before, during and after the skip or scaffolding is in place, to ensure that there is no safety risk and that the road is not damaged.

If the Cabinet approves the proposal, the charges will cover the cost of the safety inspections and give companies an incentive to move their equipment more quickly.

The proposed charges are:

  • £30 per week for skips
  • £50 per week for 20 metres of scaffolding
  • £20 per week for 20 metres of hoarding
  • £20 per week for builders materials.

These charges are comparable with those charged by neighbouring County Councils.

The Council is also proposing to introduce a charge of £60 for householders who want to construct a flat crossing across the pavement to their drive. This would fund the Councils assessment and inspection costs, to ensure the work is not a potential hazard. It does not cover the construction cost.

Nick Rushton, the Cabinet member for highways, said: "We are considering these charges because we want to ensure that skips and scaffolding are sited safely, to reduce the risk of accidents.

"We also want to encourage contractors to move equipment off the highway as quickly as possible.

If approved, the charges will cover the £190,400 cost of running the service.