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  4. Pit lanes

Elections on 2 May

Elections for the next Mayor of London and London Assembly members, as well as the by-election for Hillrise ward, will take place on Thursday 2 May. You must now show photo ID when you vote at polling stations. See a full list of accepted forms of ID.

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm.

Find your nearest polling station.

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Conditions of licence

These are the conditions of licence for pit lane licences.

  • In accordance with the Highways Act 1980, we may grant permission for the use of the pit lane on the highway
  • Not to be used for parking vehicles, strictly loading and offloading. A maximum time at any one time of loading offloading is to be agreed.
  • All works must be carried out in accordance with the latest government advice regarding Covid-19.
  • The licence does not relieve the licensee from compliance with or being subject to the London Building Act. The Town and Country Planning Act, or any other Acts, Regulations, other by laws and General Statutory provisions in the area and shall not be regarded as dispensing with such compliance.
  • Your deposit is required and held to cover the costs of any damage caused to the highway or lighting equipment that may occur during works. Should the Council carry out any remedial works, if the deposit exceeds the cost of the works, the remainder will be refunded. Deposits are held for the period of the licence and refunded on a written request once the site has been inspected. Failure to request an inspection could result in a non-refund of your deposit.
  • The deposit will only be returned to the original payee unless a valid header letter from the payee agreeing to pay a third party. Refunds must be claimed within six years from the completion of works.
  • Any disturbance or damage to utility plant or Lighting equipment will be the responsibility of the licensee.
  • The signatory of this application is the person accepting responsibility for the compliance of all conditions and regulations associated with hoarding on the highway.
  • Where there is hoarding to be sited in a designated parking bay, the suspension of that parking bay/space is to be arranged by the applicant with the parking team at parkingsuspensions@islington.gov.uk.
  • If hoarding is permitted and sited around or in the vicinity of the lighting equipment you will require to contact Street Lighting Section at r e-mail streetlights@islington.gov.uk to discuss relocation of the lamp column before the license can be granted.
  • No authorisation is given for the removal of lighting/highway equipment by the licensee including non-illuminated or illuminated furniture without prior permission from the council.
  • Lighting equipment must not be enclosed within scaffolding or hoarding in any way unless agreed with by the council officer. A deposit may be required which is held to cover the cost of any damaged caused to lighting equipment during works.
  • Where lighting equipment needs to be temporary relocated the applicant/Licensee must contact the street lighting team prior to a licence being issued. The cost of relocation will be the responsibility of the licensee. The programming of the lighting works can take up to six weeks. Therefore, the licensee will be required to inform the council a minimum of eight weeks prior to commencement of site works and site completion date. This will allow the council sufficient time to arrange electricity works with the network supplier for relocation or removal of the lighting equipment.
  • Where lighting equipment cannot be relocated due to engineering difficulties the licensee will be required to provide temporary lighting to the specifications supplied by the street lighting team. All temporary lighting must be maintained in an operational order by the licensee thought out the licensing period and must be in light from dusk till dawn. The licensee will also have to indemnify Islington Council against any third-party claims that arise due to failure of this lighting and also provide confirmation that adequate public liability insurance is currently in force.

Trees

  • If any trees are affected by the proposed hoarding on your site, it is your responsibility to anticipate any tree pruning that might be necessary to facilitate your hoarding/scaffolding.
  • If you believe that tree pruning will be necessary, please leave a message for the tree service with the Contact Centre (020 7527 2000) or treeservice@islington.gov.uk with your contact details and a tree officer will call you back.
  • Please ensure a minimum of 15 working days’ notice.
  • The tree officer will arrange an appointment with you to inspect the trees and provide you with a quotation for any necessary works.
  • Only the council's contactors are authorised to prune trees, which are valued using the CAVAT valuation system.
  • Anyone who illegally cuts or breaks branches or otherwise damages any publicly owned tree in Islington will be charged for any damage caused, all remedial works and the loss to the amenity value of the tree. 
  • These costs will be charged to the company holding the licence and could easily run into thousands of pounds and could also result in prosecution for criminal damage.
  • If a council tree is damaged and needs to be felled, the company responsible will be charged for the planting and establishment of replacement trees (minimum fee of £3,000 + VAT).

Other

  • Your works should be undertaken in such a manner as not to cause a nuisance, disturbance or danger to the occupiers of adjoining property or the users of the highway.
  • The licence agreement will become invalid if any of the conditions are not adhered to or the licensee no longer has an interest in the project.
  • The highway will at all times be kept in a neat and tidy condition and free from obstructions.
  • Any form of pedestrian management must have clear signage agreed with the highways officer.
  • The council is indemnified against all claims resulting from an incident caused by the hoarding or during its operation. All applicants must have public liability insurance of £10million to work on the public highway. Failure to have insurance would result in your licence becoming invalid.
  • All licences issued must be displayed on site.
  • All licences must comply with Islington Council’s Code of Practice for Construction of Sites.
  • The licensee must comply with any direction or instruction given by the lighting and streetworks teams.
  • The conditions below relate specifically to hoarding and must be adhered to as part of the licence.
  • If hoarding is agreed in relation to the pit lane, this must be used in accordance with, and compliance to the relevant safety legislation and standards. There must be compliance with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conditions and guidance notes. For the latest guidance and information please visit the HSE website.
  • Any structure must not prevent utilities from undertaking their statutory duty and therefore access to their plant must be allowed at all times.
  • All structures must be lit during the hours of darkness with bulkhead lights (60 watt minimum for incandescent lamps or LED Equivalent) at three metres spacing, white lights must be suitably located to light pedestrian footways and red lights to mark the perimeter facing the carriageway.
  • Additional white lights may also need to be placed along the perimeter if the existing street lighting is affected by the building works. Please contact the street lighting team on 020 7527 2844 or email streetlights@islington.gov.uk for further advice.
  • Where temporary walkways are provided in the carriageway these are to have access ramps.
  • All structures must be erected and dismantled in accordance with HSE guidelines.
  • The licensee shall make no claim against the council in the event of the hoarding being damaged in any way from whatever cause.
  • You are reminded that wilful obstruction of the public highway is an offence (s137, Highways Act 1980). Recent legislation changes now allow the council to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) to persons deemed to be responsible for such obstructions. The current level of fine is £100, £50 if paid within 28 days of issue.

Refunds

  • Refunds can take up to three to four weeks to process. Please ensure to include the following information when applying for a refund: name, address, licence number, email address, and contact telephone number.
  • The refund request form must be typed up not handwritten. 
  • A BACS payment will be made to the person or company who paid the deposit. If the name is different, a signed letter, with full BACS details, must be provided to verify the payment.

Extensions 

  • If an extension of the licence is required, applications need to be received 14 days before expiry of the existing licence.
  • The extension fee is calculated as per the table above. Extension fees will be charged at the agreed cost as detailed in the current fees and charges for the financial year in which the extension is requested.

Complaints and failure to comply with site conditions or instructions

  • Any inspection following a valid complaint however received will be subjected to a £280.50 non-compliance fee, a payment request email will be sent out. Failure to pay will result in the non-compliance fee being deducted from the deposit held.

Payments

  • If the application is approved, instructions of how to pay online will be emailed to the applicant. Following your successful payment, licence documents will be issued by email.

Parking

  • Where the pit lane is to be sited in a metered parking bay or resident’s parking you will require a suspension of an on-street parking place. Please contact the parking section at parkingsuspensions@islington.gov.uk. A separate application and payment will be required for parking suspensions.
  • It is an offence to place an obstruction in a parking bay, which has not been suspended the council has the power to remove the obstruction and prosecute the person responsible. If a footway closure is required and approved and a temporary route is provided in the carriageway this may result in the works being affected by the Traffic Management Act 2004. This will be determined at the site inspection prior to works.
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