Public highway can include any carriageway, footway, pedestrianised area or verge that is highway maintainable at public expense. The authority may grant permission for the placing of private apparatus along, over or across a public highway.
The private apparatus may be temporary or permanent. Typical examples may be a private telephone cable which spans a street between buildings or a small canopy on a building. This type of licence is dealt with by the authority under Section 178 of the Highways Act 1980.
Application to place private apparatus such as cables or small canopies along over or across the highway must be made in writing to the address below giving details of the type of apparatus. Alternatively you can email us at traffic@wigan.gov.uk.
The current charge for a Section 178 Licence is £100.00 (VAT is not applicable).
Large projections from buildings, i.e balconies, structural canopies or general. building overhangs are dealt with by the Traffic Group under Section 177 of the Highways Act 1980.
The current charge for a Section 177 licence is £500 ( VAT is not applicable). The applicant may incur additional charges for calculation checks.
In all cases planning permission if not already granted may be required.
The owners of the apparatus must have, and maintain, Public Liability Insurance cover (minimum £5 million for small apparatus and £5 million for the larger type building/apparatus). A Street Works Accredited Supervisor is required for all persons working on or over a Public Highway. Operatives should also be accredited where appropriate for their specific duties.
