The various legislation and codes of practice that highway authorities and all works promoters need to adhere to are detailed below.

The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) requires highway authorities to coordinate works and develop systems to record works so that utilities could be held financially responsible for failings in their operations and quality of workmanship (reinstatements).

The Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA) allows authorities to opt to run a permit scheme – which allows us to recover the cost of coordinating works on the highway. One core theme in the act is the highway authority’s network management duty 'To secure the expeditious movement of traffic on our road network'.

The Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice must be complied with by all works promoters carrying out works under NRSWA, and is specifically aimed at ensuring the safety of both works operatives and members of the public.

The West and Shires Permit Scheme (WaSP) statutory instrument came into force in April 2014, and all statutory undertakers (utilities) working in Shropshire must adhere to this.