1 Overview
Before placing skips on a highway or private street, it is the skip operator's responsibility to obtain a skip licence.
This does not apply to private gated roads with no public right of way. Private roads that are not gated, where the public have a right of way to use them, will require a licence.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances only one skip will be allowed at any one time.
The cost of a skip licence is currently £81.00 for a 14 day period and £81.00 for additional 14 day periods.
Under no circumstances will West Sussex County Council (WSCC) allow skips to be placed on single or double yellow lines, disabled bays, the footway or grass verges. If the skip is to be placed in a controlled parking zone (CPZ) then the parking bay must first be suspended with the local council's parking team. Without the parking suspension reference, WSCC will not be able to process a licence request.
We require a minimum of five working days' advance notice from the date of application to the date the skip will be placed on highway.
The licence duration is up to 14 calendar days. You are able to apply for longer periods if required, and any extension period is also up to 14 days.
2 Apply for a licence
Apply for a skip licence (external link)3 Terms and conditions
Marking
Each skip shall be clearly and indelibly marked with the owner’s name and his telephone number or address.
Placement
Each skip shall be positioned so that it does not impede surface water drainage of the highway or obstruct access to any manhole or apparatus of any statutory undertaker.
Where there is more than one skip on the highway, they shall be placed as close as possible to each other, but not so as to obstruct access to premises (unless the consent of the occupier of the premises has been obtained).
Sizing
Each skip shall not exceed five metres in length by 2 metres in width.
Materials in the skip
No inflammable, explosive, noxious or dangerous material or anything likely to putrefy or likely to be a nuisance to users of the highway shall be placed in a skip.
No skip shall be used in such a way that any of its contents fall on to the highway. If any material placed in a skip is dusty or loose, the skip shall be covered, or other appropriate action taken to prevent the material or part thereof blowing out of the skip.
Depositing and collecting
Each skip shall be removed for emptying as soon as possible, and not later than 2 days after it has been filled.
Vehicles used to deposit and collect skips must have due regard for public safety, especially pedestrian safety.
No skip shall remain on the highway after the expiry date of this permission.
Upkeep
The highway, where the skip or skips have been, shall be left clean and tidy and, if necessary, reinstated to the highway network manager’s satisfaction.
Positioning
Each skip shall be positioned as near as possible to the edge of the carriageway and parallel with it.
Both ends of each skip (that is the ends or sides facing the traffic) shall be painted yellow and be fitted with vertically fixed red and yellow fluorescent and reflective markings in accordance with the Builders’ Skips (markings) Regulations 1984. The paint and the markings shall be kept clean at all times.
Each skip shall be guarded by at least three traffic cones placed on the carriageway in an oblique line on the approach side of the skip. Where there are two or more skips in a row, and adjacent skips are more than two metres apart, the row shall be guarded as if it were one skip.
At night (that is between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise) an amber lamp must be placed against or attached to each corner of the skip, or the end corners of a row of skips where adjacent skips are not more than two metres apart and must also be placed between each of the cones.
Note: each lamp must have an illuminative power of not less than one candela and must remain lit throughout the night.
Damage
Where damage to brick paving or conservation paving is likely to occur, the surface should be protected by use of wooden boards.
Roll on roll off skips
The use of roll on roll off skips is not permitted on the highway.