The process
Determing your application
Once your Application Form has been received and the fee has been paid, East Sussex Highways will begin to carry out our assessment. Due to the high number of applications we receive, it can take up to 8 weeks to determine your application. You will receive a decision by email or post on or before the determination date already advised.
Application approval
If your application is successful, we will issue you with a Vehicle Crossing Licence and retain the full application fee. The Licence is valid for 6 months and will detail our standard conditions and also any site-specific conditions for your contractor to note.
We will also supply you with a set of plans (stat plans) detailing the statutory undertakers’ and utilities’ apparatus in the vicinity. Your contractor will need these plans to assess whether or not the apparatus is affected by the works. In the unlikely event that the apparatus is affected then the cost of alterations or protection will be your sole responsibility.
Application rejection
In most instances applications are successful, but if your application is rejected, we will provide a statement of reasons for our decision along with a partial refund of 64% of the application fee. The refund will be made within 14 days of the determination date, and East Sussex Highways will contact to make the refund.
Reasons for refusal may include planning grounds, land ownership objections, local parking implications, safety implications such as poor sight lines at the proposed access point or the proposed access is in close proximity to a road hump, road safety feature etc.
Our decision as to whether the application is approved or refused is final and appeals will not be considered.
Choose a contractor
Once you have received your Vehicle Crossing Licence, it is time to choose and appoint your contractor. You must use a Buy With Confidence approved contractor. These contractors are registered with our Trading Standards ‘Buy With Confidence’ (BWC) scheme and as such have been vetted to deliver a good quality, reliable and professional service. Contractors who are not registered are welcome to apply to do so and we will also accept contractors who are registered outside of East Sussex County Council’s jurisdiction. All BWC registered contractors are accredited in accordance with the New Roads & Street Works Act 1991 and hold the necessary £10 million Public Liability Insurance.
List of approved third party contractors
AS PER THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OUR LICENCE, THE USE OF AN UNAUTHORISED CONTRACTOR WILL RESULT IN YOUR VEHICLE CROSSOVER BEING DEEMED ILLEGAL AND NO COMPLETION CERTIFICATE WILL BE ISSUED.
Before starting the works
Please be aware that even if a licence has been issued, the vehicle crossing works will not be permitted to commence until your driveway/hard-standing has been constructed.
Once you have appointed your contractor, it then becomes his responsibility to seek our consent to start work. He will notify us of his proposed start date and duration of works using our standard ‘N’ notice.
A minimum of 7 day’s notice is usually required, unless multi phase traffic control is needed which requires 21 days’ notice.
The notice period allows us time to check that there is no conflict with other works that may be planned on the highway network at that time.
During the works
East Sussex Highways will ensure that the works are carried out to the correct standards both in terms of workmanship and health and safety requirements. The signing and guarding of the works to the correct standards will be the responsibility of the Contractor.
Completion of the works
When the works are completed the contractor will confirm this to us by submitting a completion notice. If we are satisfied, we will issue you a Completion Certificate, which confirms that the vehicle crossing has been constructed correctly and is fit for proper use. We recommend that you keep a copy of this certificate as you may need to provide evidence of it to any potential buyers of your property in the future.
Paying your contractor
It is your sole responsibility to pay the contractor for the works undertaken. East Sussex Highways will not become involved in any financial arrangements made between you.
Adoption of the works
The contractor is responsible for a 12-month maintenance period of the works, which starts on the issue of the Completion Certificate, provided that the works are kept defect free, East Sussex Highways will automatically assume responsibility at the end of this period.