Street works compliance

Street Works Legal Team

Many of our clients are statutory undertakers who are engaged in hundreds of thousands of street works activities across the country to keep our key utilities and infrastructure running.

We can assist when those works come under the scrutiny of local authorities for issues of compliance with the street works regime or matters of health and safety arising from how the work is set up or undertaken.

Experienced lawyers

Our experienced team of lawyers regularly support a number of energy and utility companies. We recognise the importance of getting to know your business and providing practical, commercial advice whether to proactively review and improve systems or in the course of a prosecution.

How we can help

We assist our clients both when responding to regulatory investigations and to proactively identify improvements in risk management and systems around the management of street works.

Responding to regulatory queries and investigations

We routinely advise on:

• challenging s.74 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) overrun charges;
• the scope of s.60 NRSWA on cooperation;
• compliance with s.65 NRSWA on signing, lighting and guarding;
• authority coring programmes and s.71 prosecutions for materials, workmanship and standard of reinstatement; and
• Regulation 19 and Regulation 20 permitting issues.

Proactive risk management

We routinely provide:

• support around any aspect of an investigation or prosecution by a street authority;
• if prosecuted, we negotiate with authorities to encourage a proportionate approach to enforcement, including avoiding prosecutions altogether in some cases;
• assistance to identify and implement lessons learned, changes and best practice following an event, regulatory investigation or prosecution; and
• advice and support on how to better work with your contractors to encourage compliance and best practice.

Contact our Environment, Health and Safety team

If you would like further information or need advice, please contact our legal team.