Terms and conditions for skip permits

Skip positioning

1. Skips must not exceed 5 metres in length by 2 metres in width
2. Skips must be positioned in the road unless the council has granted a permit for the skip to be placed elsewhere. If permission is granted to place skips on a footway or grass verge, a deposit is needed to cover any damage which may be caused.
3. Where more than one skip is deposited on the highway at any time, the skips shall be positioned as closely as possible to each other
4. skips are positioned on the road so that their longest sides are parallel to the edge of the road and are as near to the edge of the road as is possible
5. skips are not positioned less than 15 metres from a junction, except when permission has been granted
6. skips do not obstruct access to any premises, unless the consent of the occupier has been obtained
7. skips are positioned so that they do not obstruct drivers and pedestrians in any way
8. skips do not prevent water drainage on the road or obstruct manholes or stop any functions that need to be carried out by the authorities

Skip markings

Each skip must be clearly marked with the skip owner's or suppliers name, address and telephone number. All markings must be kept clean and visible at all times.

The ends of each skip, i.e. the sides of the skip facing traffic in both directions, must be painted yellow and must be fitted with vertical red and yellow fluorescent reflective markings. These markings must comply with British Standard BS AU152:1970 and must be marked with that number.

Markings must be fitted as near as possible to the top outer corners of the ends of the skip, but no higher than 1.5 metres above ground level. The markings must not be fitted to lids and should only be fitted to a door when it is not possible to put markings on the end of the skip. When a marking has to be fitted to a door, the door should be kept closed, unless loading or unloading is actually taking place.

Cones and flash lights

Skips placed on the road require traffic cones on the approach side to guide traffic safely past them.

When it is dark or in bad weather conditions, all skips must be marked by amber flashing lights which are placed against the skip or attached to each corner of it. If there are 2 or more skips with less than 2 metres between them, lights can be put on the end corners of the row of skips.

If the skip or skips are positioned on the road, lights should be placed between each of the road cones. You will be charged by the council if contractors have to be sent out to make a skip safe or to put lights on an unlit skip.

Skip contents

Skips placed on the road must not contain any inflammable, explosive, noxious or dangerous material, or any material which is likely to putrefy or to become a nuisance or danger to users of the highway.

The method used for filling of each skip must not hinder or cause a nuisance or danger to pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Where rubbish chutes are used to fill a skip, the skip should be completely enclosed at the discharge end to prevent any escape of debris or dust.

Contents of the skip must be kept covered to prevent dust or spillage on to the road.

The skip must not be overloaded and must be removed as soon as possible when it is full, in all cases not later than two working days after it has been filled.

All materials placed in a skip shall be properly disposed of and the highway shall be left in a clean and tidy condition after removal.

Skip removal

Once the skip permit issued by the council has expired, you must remove the skip from the road. The road where the skip was positioned must also be left in a clean and tidy condition.

If you need to have a skip in the road for an additional amount of time, you must reapply to the council for another skip permit.

The Council, or a police officer, can remove or reposition a skip on the highway, even though it was positioned in accordance with a license issued by the Council. Any costs incurred for the removal, repositioning and/or disposal of the contents of a skip will be recoverable from the owner or licensee of the skip.

Other regulations

Other regulations that the skip owner or supplier is responsible for adhering to are:

1. getting insurance so that the council is covered against any claims made regarding skips in the road
2. not subletting or transferring the ownership of any skips licensed by the council
3. The License relates to only the approved location and should be a specified site near the premises. The skip shall not be placed in any other position without the prior consent of the City Council.
4. Skips shall only be deposited, removed or resited on the highway between 0800 hours and 1800 hours, Monday to Friday, and 0800 to 1300 hours on Saturday. Only in exceptional circumstances are skips allowed to be deposited, removed or resited outside the above hours and only with the prior consent of the Council.
5. Your skip should be located as near as possible to the property for which it is required
6. You should always have a corresponding parking bay suspension or yellow line dispensation to accompany your skip when placed on the public highway.
7. No skip shall be dragged or pushed along the public highway. The licensee will be liable for any damages caused.
8. The maximum period of consent is three months. Renewal is not automatic and three working days should be allowed from receipt for the City Council to process a further application.
9. All conditions of the skip license imposed by the Council must be complied with. Contravention of any condition may result in prosecution action by the Council.
10. The Council is not liable for any injury, damage or loss resulting from the presence of a skip on a public highway
11. Space approved for skip cannot be used for any other purpose and any vehicles parked will be removed. Parking Suspensions are granted for specific reasons and cannot be used for the parking of personal vehicles whilst in force.
12. If the council is required to remove waste which has fallen onto the public highway, or have to remove illegally placed skips e.g. skips kept longer than paid for, the council may take the following actions: remove skips until all reasonable costs have been recovered, and/or instigate legal proceedings to recover further costs. We may also not approve future applications for skips.