Hampshire County Council Streetworks and Environmental Health
Joint working partnership/ protocol for overnight street works
Background
Most roads or the services to them require some form of repair/ upgrade from time to time.
Ideally, from a noise perspective, all works would be carried out in the daytime, especially in built up residential areas, in order to avoid nuisance.
However, it is recognised that there are occasions when it is not ideal to carry out street works during the daytime. This is for, example, where the impact of closing a road / installation of temporary traffic lights or other traffic management controls would have a significant impact on the local highway network. Accordingly, Under Section 56 of New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, Hampshire County Council Streetworks team can direct the timing of works, which may include overnight working.
Overnight works can cause substantial disturbance to local residents, especially where they are carried out over several nights, into the early hours of the morning or where heavy plant or equipment is employed for the works.
The purpose of this protocol is for Hampshire County Council and Environmental Health Departments across Hampshire to work jointly in ensuring that overnight road closures are only implemented where absolutely necessary and that the resulting noise impacts are reduced as far as possible.
Hampshire County Council Street works team will:
Ø Advise the relevant Local Authority of any overnight street works that are likely to continue for more than one night in built up residential urban / suburban areas (where the works extend past 2300hrs.) Discuss/ negotiate appropriate hours/ working pattern where appropriate.
Ø Provide the Local Authority with contact details for the Site Manager / Contractor who is carrying out the overnight works
Ø Request that the contractor adopt a ‘Considerate neighbour policy’ to include:
Ø Scheduling noisier works in the earlier hours of the evening and reducing noisy works after 2300
Ø Prior to undertaking the work, to write to local residents / those affected giving details of the works, the hours of operation, a timescale for completion and a contact hotline number in case of complaint
Ø Provide an information board at the site with details of the Contractor and a contact telephone number for enquiries / complaints (this is a legal requirement)
Ø Give the contractor contact details for Environmental Health so they may obtain advice on their Considerate neighbour police should they so wish.
Environmental Health will:
Ø Recognise that some works have to be carried out overnight and discuss / negotiate appropriate hours / working pattern with Hampshire Street works team where appropriate.
Ø Provide advice on noise control to Hampshire County Council Streetworks team and/ or contractors who will be carrying out the works.
List of contacts for Hampshire Street works:
List of contacts for Local Authorities who have signed up to this partnership / protocol:
Basingstoke and Deane BC
Eastleigh BC
Fareham and Gosport BC
Test Valley
Hart DC
New Forest DC
Rushmoor BC
Winchester CC
ECAC 19.12.16