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If you want to put a waste skip on a public highway in the Bury borough, you need a permit. Placing a skip on a public highway without a permit is an offence under the Highways Act and may result in prosecution.

Skip permit applications are to request our permission to place a skip on a public highway.

Skip suppliers are responsible for getting skip permits, not householders or building contractors.

All approved skip permits are recorded in our permit register.

Skip supplier register

As a skip supplier, you can apply to join our skip supplier registration scheme for £132.

By joining the scheme, any skip permit you apply for will be eligible at a reduced cost of £25 each.

Permit applications from unregistered skip suppliers are £50 each.

Apply for a skip permit

You can apply online for a skip permit if you need to place a skip on a public highway. If you are:

  • a registered skip supplier, each permit is £25
  • an unregistered skip supplier, each permit is £50

Skip advice and conditions

A skip cannot be placed:

  • on a road where there are double yellow lines
  • within 25 metres (80 foot) of traffic signals
  • within 15 metres (50 foot) of a road junction
  • in the controlled area of a pedestrian crossing
  • on the brow of a hill
  • on yellow zigzags in front of a school, ambulance or fire station
  • on or near a bus stop
  • on a trunk road
  • where there's a parking restriction
  • where the road is less than 4.5 metres (15 foot) wide
  • on a bend
  • on a clearway.

Subject to the above, the following conditions may be included on the permit:

  • off-peak only between 9.30am and 4pm
  • mini skips only
  • any other condition that we impose.

Skip suppliers placing a skip on a public highway must be aware of certain rules and obligations as follows:

  • A skip placed on the highway without a permit will incur the full cost of the permit, plus reasonable costs, whether or not the company has applied to be on the skip register.
  • We have certain powers under the Highways Act to control the siting and removal of skips, if necessary.
  • The skip supplier maintains responsibility to ensure that skips are positioned on the highway in such a way that they do not cause an obstruction to other road users. The supplier is responsible for ensuring that all appropriate regulations are adhered to.
  • A permit can be valid from any period between 1 and 28 days. For longer periods, additional permit applications should be made. Only one skip will be allowed on site at any one time, except in exceptional circumstances.
  • Whenever possible, skips should be placed on the carriageway. Skips placed on the carriageway require at least four traffic cones on the approach side, to guide traffic past the skip.
    • Vertical markings are also required to be fitted to builders' skips placed in the road, as per the Highways Act.
  • During hours of darkness, poor daytime visibility or bad weather, flashing amber road danger lamps must be placed against or attached to each corner of the skip.
    • If sited on a carriageway, a lamp should be placed between each cone. If our emergency services are called out to put lamps on a skip or make it safe, a charge will be made.
  • If a skip is found illegally placed on the highway without any contact details, it will be removed as per Section 140 of the Highways Act.
  • Skips placed on the highway shall not contain any inflammable, explosive or noxious material, or anything which is likely to cause nuisance to highway users.
  • Contents of the skip shall be kept 'damped down' or covered to prevent dust or spillage on the highway.
  • A skip must not be overloaded and must be removed when full.
  • Skips must not be placed on the public highway until permission has been granted. All skips must be fully liveried with the skip companies name and phone number, any skip that fails to show this detail will be removed from the highway. Skips removed can be collected, subject to payment of the removal and storage fees.