Highways online

Tables and chairs licence

Under the 1980 Highways Act a licence is required to place tables and chairs on the public highway or City Walkway. Interested parties must submit an application to the City of London, who assess the suitability of the site against specific criteria. These include pavement width, access for people with disabilities, existing fire escape routes, refuse disposal, and noise and disturbance levels. See Tables and Chairs licensing.

For further information please contact the Licensing Team on:
Tel 020 7332 3406
Fax 020 7332 3536

The licence is valid for one year. Please allow a minimum of three months to process the application, for both new licences and for renewals.

Scaffolding and hoarding licences

Any structure, scaffold or hoarding that is erected on the public highway must have a licence. The conditions under which each licence is granted can only be agreed at a site meeting. Through this website you can arrange for a site meeting with an officer from the highways section of the Department of Environmental Services. You can apply for the scaffolding and hoarding licence online.

Contact Carl Vaughan/Bob Broughton (020 7332 1104/3578)

In total, allow two weeks for arranging a site meeting, completion of the application form, supplying payment, and processing of the application.

Temporary road closures

Where works require the temporary closure of a highway (from roads to footways or City walkways), diversions, signage and public notifications must be arranged, and a temporary traffic management order must be written. These can only be agreed via a personal visit to the Traffic Management Office. Through the website you can arrange for an appointment to visit this one-stop-shop. Contact Centre (020 7332 3553)

The minimum notice period is twelve weeks from your visit to the Traffic Management office. Shorter notice periods are accepted only in emergencies, where there is a possible risk to life or damage to property.

Parking dispensations

Please call the Contact Centre on (020 7332 3553 / 3554) to apply for dispensations or you can apply for parking dispensations online. Download our Prices.

A minimum of three working days is required to process and issue dispensation requests.

Dispensations will be issued at less than three days notice only for disabled drivers and emergency works, where the emergency constitutes a danger to the public.

Parking bay suspensions

Please call the Contact Centre on (020 7332 3553 / 3554) to apply for suspensions or you can apply for parking bay suspensions online. Download our prices.

Payment must be made at least three working days before the suspension is due to start.

Abnormal loads

Officers must approve the route of any abnormal load moving through the City, to check for low bridges, underground structures, width restrictions, road closures, roadworks and one-way systems. This site allows you to submit your route for this purpose.You can apply for abnormal loads approval online.

Contact Paul Monaghan/Paul Levett (020 7332 3122/1544)

At least three days notice is required.

Daily roadworks

In order to co-ordinate all the streetworks in the City, the City of London seeks as much information as possible from utilities about where, when and how they expect to excavate the highway. This site allows utilities to submit their daily whereabouts directly to the Traffic Management Office and stores each day's works list for each utility, so that the previous day's list can be easily recalled, altered and resubmitted.

Contact Traffic Management Office 020 7606 3030, ex 2345

Lists to be submitted at least 24 hours in advance, and before 3pm on Fridays.

Building and other materials on the highway; skips

It is not permitted to deposit materials or skips anywhere on the highway within the city. If such a requirement occurs, it must within the confines of a hoarding for which a licence is required.

Contact Carl Vaughan/Bob Broughton (020 7332 1104/3578)

Technical approval of highway structures

Whilst it is the owners responsibilities to support the highways, the City of London, as highway authority, has a duty to ensure that any structure, new, existing, or temporary, that spans or supports the highway is fit for purpose. Technical Approval is the means by which the City ensures that as far as reasonably practicable such structures are safe and serviceable in use and that adequate provision for inspection and maintenance has been made. It further ensures that the highway user and any others affected are protected from any adverse effects.

Download our guidance notes here (120kb)

Contact Paul Levett / Paul Monaghan (020 7332 1544 / 3122)

The City and its Consultants endeavour to provide an initial response within three to four weeks. Acceptance of the AIP can take up to three months, but can take longer in exceptional cases.