Apply for a Road Opening Permit
General Enquiries Email (opens new window) Road Opening Permit Application Email (opens new window)
When applying for a Road Opening Permit, you must allow a minimum period of 28 working days for the application to be processed before making contact with us.
You also have to pay for the permit before we'll consider your application and our charges can be found in the Book of Charges.
What is a road opening permit?
If you propose to excavate in a road (carriageway, footway, footpath or cyclepath), there is a requirement under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to obtain permission from the local Roads Authority. This is done by applying for the relevant permit.
Anyone excavating in a road should have the relevant HAUC/SWQR qualification and have public liability insurance cover to the value of £5 million.
Traffic and pedestrian management will be required when excavating on the public road
Traffic management can include signing and guarding, parking suspensions, traffic control measures or even full road closures. In all cases, traffic management equipment must be deployed, maintained and removed by qualified personnel. Permit applicants who are not suitably qualified should contract out this duty to accredited traffic management contractors. The following legislation applies in the use of traffic management:
- The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended)
- New Roads and Street Works Act 1991
- Traffic Signs Manual, Chapter 8 (as amended)
- The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016
- Safety at Street Works and Road Works - A Code of Practice 201
Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (Road Closure, Parking Suspension)
If a road closure or other temporary traffic regulation order is required to support the works, allow a processing time of up to three months.
A separate request must be made to Glasgow City Council Roadworks Control Unit directly for a temporary traffic regulation order.
Please see attached guide for Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTRO's). This guide explains the cost, process and time scales involved for each type of order.
As most traffic orders are disruptive, it is imperative that the public is provided with sufficient warning of an impending order.
A period of on street noticing will be required, prior to the works start date. This noticing will be undertaken by the applicant directly.
For some TTRO's an advert must also be placed in the local press. This noticing period is a legal requirement, and is needed to allow people affected by your works, sufficient time to make alternative arrangements.
General Requirements to Support an Application
The following plans are required to be provided to support an application. There could be a delay in processing your application if the plans are not supplied or there are issues when any supplied plans.
- A basic layout plan/sketch to be provided for all road occupations.
- A detailed plan must be provided for major/long term occupations of the carriageway and/or footways.
- Plans of the traffic management proposals must be provided for approval.
- Detailed elevation drawings must be provided for a scaffold application
How to apply for a road opening permit
To apply please complete our application form (PDF) [152KB] (opens new window) and submit the application and any supporting documentation by email (opens new window).
Related Content
Related Documents
- Book of Charges
- Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Roads 2015 (PDF) [5MB] (opens new window)
- Road Opening Permit Application Form (PDF) [152KB] (opens new window)
- Road Opening Permit Application Form (Word doc) [61KB] (opens new window)
- TTRO Guidelines (PDF) [86KB] (opens new window)
Related Links
- Section 56 (opens new window)
- Safety at Street Works and Road Works - A Code of Practice (opens new window)
Related Articles
Share this page
