Vehicle Crossing Guidance Notes

You must get permission from the highway authority to install a vehicle crossing, in this case it is Wiltshire Council. This pack comprises of four sections;

1. Notes on how to complete the application
2. Data Protection statement
3. Highways specification for the construction of crossings
4. The application form

We provide these notes to guide you through filling out the vehicle crossing application, please read them carefully; if anything is unclear, you can submit questions to us via email or leave a message on our phone number.

The processing of an application currently takes around 15 weeks from the date of receipt; we will only start processing the application when we receive payment of the fee.

Fees are reviewed each year and are non-refundable.

Vehicle Crossing Licence Fee for Standard Applications

Applications for the creation or extension of a vehicle access: £265.00.

For a certificate of lawful use of an access that has been unlawfully created, please telephone 01225 713352, or email vehicleaccess@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

Vehicle Crossing Licence Fee for Commercial Developments

Applications for the creation of a vehicle access onto a commercial development: £1,060.00.

Administration Fees

Requests for re-issuing of a licence: £35.00.

Requests for a change of contractor on a licence and re-issue: £35.00.

Requests for copies of licences or completion certificates following their misplacement: £35.00.

Transfer of Application Fees

Requests for changing the applicant to a new applicant on live applications: £40.00.

Requests for changing the applicant to a new applicant on granted applications that have not been signed off as completed to highway specification: £40.00.

Additional Inspection Fee

Requests for any inspection conducted after 18 months of the licence being issued: £75.00.

Payment options

Pay by cheque

You can pay by cheque made out to Wiltshire Council; and send it with the completed application to the address shown at the top of the application form.

Pay online

Via our Online Payment Portal: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/pay-online

Online Payments Portal > Select Highways under Service and Apply > Choose Select to pay on relevant service required.

To pay by bank card

Alternatively, you can pay by telephone using the following instruction, we will need a reference for the payment so please use your postcode and last name, for example: SP1 9JA Smith

1. Call the councils general line 0300 456 0100
2. Tell the operator you wish to pay a dropped kerb fee by card and then give the following information:

3. Finally, ask the operator to send a payment confirmation to the vehicle access mailbox; vehicleaccess@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

It is essential that you nominate a contractor for the works, you can use any contractor providing they are Streetworks accredited and hold public liability insurance of at least five million pounds; we will not issue the permission license for the works if no contractor is stated. It may be advisable to find a contractor first to get a quotation for your works; they should be conversant with Wiltshire Councils' specification for a Highway Crossing and advise you on the installation.

Wiltshire Council does not hold an approved list of contractors. 

On receipt of your application and payment it will be verified then entered on our system. You must complete all of the sections, if anything is missed we may have to return it to you to be corrected, this may have an impact on the time scale.

Our checks include:

• validation of the application form for completeness, we will send it back to you should any information be missing
• assessment by a highways engineer that the proposal is acceptable
• verification with our planning department to ensure planning consent is not required
• provide a list of utility providers for your contractor to check
• issue the permission license to undertake the works
• possible site inspection during construction
• final inspection of the finished work to ensure compliance with our specification
• finally, we will issue of a completion certificate for your property records.

We will require each application to be for only one distinct property as we issue the completion certificate for the property address. There are thirteen sections on the form, with a column on the right for office use, you must answer all the questions and provide a plan of the proposed works with accurate measurements. In addition, you must refer to the Highway Requirements in Connection with the Construction of a Private
Access, section 3 in this pack.

Note 1 - Applicant details

We will need to be able to contact you so require; your full name and address, an email address (if you have one), telephone number and of course payment with the application. Should you appoint an agent to manage the process for you, we will need their contact details in this section and your details in the "Owner Details".

Note 2 - Owner details

If you are not the owner of the property, we require contact details of the legal owner and a letter of authorisation from them regarding the proposed work.

Note 3 - Site address if different from above

Should the intended work be at an address other than your home; we will need to know the full address of that location.

Note 4 - Property details

Here we need to know what kind of building the work relates to, whether it is a business or agricultural property or if it is a listed building.

Note 5 - Contractor details

The choice of contractor is completely yours; however, they must have Streetworks accreditation (SWQR for Operatives) and public liability insurance of at least five million pounds. You must provide the full contact details of your chosen contractor so that we can verify them or contact them for the insurance and accreditation.

We are unable to issue the permission licence for your works if there are no contractor details. Unfortunately we do not have an approved list of contractors. 

Note 6 - Planning consent

If your request for a highway crossing is part of a planning application, we need the planning reference. It is important that you understand that we cannot approve the crossing application until you are in possession of planning consent. If this section is marked 'no', we will consult planning to ensure no permission is required as part of the application process.

Note 7 - Access details

You will need to tell us what is between the property and road: it may be a pavement, verge or both or something else.

Note 8 - About the works

If you have already started any of the works, then we need to know what has been done and when.

Note 9 - Excavation works

We need to know if additional excavation will be carried out above and beyond digging out the footpath and kerbs. If there is you may need planning consent, we check this with our planning department for you.

Note 10 - Retaining walls and trees

You must mention any work to existing structures, walls or trees, along with measurements and show this on the drawing of the planned works in section 13.

Note 11 - Hardstanding

A hardstanding is the name used for any surface that is not garden.

Here we need to know about the construction of the parking space, you should refer to our Highway Crossing Specification. Your contractor should be conversant with this and may be able to give advice on the type of works. Should you be using gravel on the driveway a one-meter wide strip of "bound material" (block, tarmac or concrete) must be laid between the edge of the footpath and the gravel to stop gravel being dragged onto the footpath and road. Drainage and any soakaways should be noted here too.

Note 12 - Proposed fencing, walls or garages

Any new building; walls, fences or out buildings should also be shown on the drawing of the planned works in section 13. You should also show any structures that are going to be demolished to make way for the parking space.

Note 13 - Plan of the proposed access and hardstanding

This part is important, as our engineers need to have a good description of planned works. You must show the area affected by the works and include measurements and objects such as phone or power poles, street lighting that maybe affected by your application.

If you require an example of a plan, contact the vehicle access team who will supply an example for you.

Make sure your plan includes measurements of the proposed works as well as all of the following information;

• access opening
• dropped kerbs
• hardstanding
• retaining walls
• lighting, utility poles, bridges, signs
• position of hardstanding drainage / soakaway
• drains and utility covers on the ground
• type of materials to be used