Open consultation

Updating the safety at street works and road works code of practice

Published 21 September 2026

Introduction

We are seeking views on proposed updates to the safety at street works and road works code of practice (COP). 

The draft code of practice (which should be read alongside this consultation) provides statutory guidance on the signing, lighting and guarding of street and road works on public roads and highways to help protect workers, road users and pedestrians. 

The proposed updates reflect changes in legislation, guidance and working practices since the safety at street works and road works code was last updated in 2013. 

Feedback from this consultation will be used to ensure the revised code is clear, practical and effective for those who use it. 

To respond to this consultation, you need to: 

• read the draft COP – download a copy of the draft COP
• read the consultation and the questions 
• answer the questions relating to the new draft COP – these are listed in this document along with a link to an online response form

It is important to ensure the safety of workers, road users and pedestrians when utility street works and highway/roads authority road works are carried out.

The safety at street works and road works code of practice is statutory guidance issued by:

• the Department for Transport
• Transport Scotland
• the Welsh Government
• the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland

It sets out requirements and guidance for signing, lighting and guarding of street and road works sites on public highways. The code of practice provides guidance on:

• risk assessment
• site management and traffic control
• ensuring that street and road works are conducted with minimal disruption and maximum safety

The code of practice

The code of practice serves as official guidance for organisations and individuals working for utility companies and authorities involved in maintaining and repairing highways or roads, and installing, repairing and maintaining underground utilities infrastructure on public roads.

The code of practice applies to all utility companies and highway or roads authorities in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, except motorways and high-speed dual carriageways (50 miles per hour or more). Guidance on some situations not covered by the code can be found in chapter 8 of the traffic signs manual.

In England and Wales, the code of practice is issued under section 65 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and section 174 of the Highways Act 1980.

In Scotland, the code of practice is issued under section 124 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, and section 60A of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984.

In Northern Ireland, the Department for Infrastructure issues the safety at street works and road works code of practice under Article 25 of the Street Works (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, which covers the use of temporary warning devices and signs for danger on public roads.

Failure to comply with the code is evidence of failure to fulfil your legal obligations to sign, light and guard works. Compliance with the code will be taken as compliance with the legal requirements to which it relates. Highway authorities in England and Wales must have regard to this code when carrying out works for road purposes.

The primary aims of the code of practice are to:

• ensure the safety of workers by implementing appropriate signage, barriers and lighting
• protect road users, including motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and vulnerable road users
• provide clear and practical instructions for setting up and managing work sites effectively
• mitigate risks associated with street and road works, preventing accidents and injuries
• minimise traffic disruption while ensuring a smooth flow of vehicles

The code of practice must be followed by:

• highway or roads authorities carrying out maintenance and repair work, and their contractors
• utility companies installing or repairing infrastructure in the road, and their contractors
• private contractors working on behalf of public or private organisations under licences issued under section 50 or section 109 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991

By standardising safe working practices, the code of practice reduces the likelihood of accidents, injuries, and fatalities. It also provides instructions on how to handle emergency situations, special site conditions and considerations for vulnerable road users, reinforcing the commitment to accessibility and inclusivity.

Updating safety at street works and road works code of practice

We are seeking views on proposed updates to the safety at street works and road works code of practice. The code sets the standards for how street and road works must be signed, lit and guarded to protect anyone encountering those works. It has not been updated since 2013.

The purpose of this consultation is to ensure the updated code is clear, practical and effective for all those who use it. We welcome views from:

• members of the public
• disability groups
• road users
• local authorities
• utilities
• contractors
• others involved in street and road works

The new draft has been developed jointly by the Department for Transport, Transport Scotland, the Welsh Government and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

Work on this new draft code of practice has been supported by specialist consultants Arup AECOM and shaped by representatives from the Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee (HAUC) safety working group, as well as other expert organisations including the Health and Safety Executive. The draft code and this consultation should be read together.

The HAUC safety working group has recommended a number of the proposed changes that we are seeking views on. You can read the draft code for full details. The consultants have advised on:

• wider updates needed to reflect current health and safety legislation
• inclusive mobility
• the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD)
• Chapter 8 of the traffic signs manual

The content of the code is also being redesigned by The Stationery Office to improve accessibility, layout and readability. Once consultation feedback has been considered, the finalised text, diagrams and images will be combined with the new design.

The changes being considered

We are seeking views on updating the draft code, including changes to:

• maintaining safe and accessible pedestrian routes around works – including minimum footway widths, the length of restricted widths and improved standards for temporary walkways
• managing cycle routes affected by works, including updated guidance and a clearer hierarchy of options
• the introduction of hard and soft road closures
• strengthened requirements to support disabled people and other vulnerable road users
• updated diagrams and technical content to support clearer understanding, including how signs and layouts are presented
• expanded and updated guidance on mobile and short duration works and on working near level crossings and tramways
• changes to the language used in the code, to ensure that it more accurately reflects underlying legal duties and the distinction between mandatory requirements and advisory guidance

How to respond

See the Ways to respond section of the consultation page on GOV.UK to find out how you can respond to this consultation.

The consultation period began on 21 September 2026 and will run until 14 December 2026. Please ensure that your response reaches us before the closing date.

Welsh version of questionnaire

Mae’r arolwg hwn ar gael yn Gymraeg hefyd.

These questions are listed here to give you an overview of what we are asking.

Full list of questions

See the Ways to respond section of the consultation page on GOV.UK to find out how you can respond to this consultation.

Questions about you

Question 1: What is your full name?

Question 2: What is your email address? 

Question 3: Are you responding as an individual or on behalf of an organisation? 

Questions for individuals

Question 4a: Where do you live? 

• England 
• Wales 
• Scotland 
• Northern Ireland 
• another country

Question 4b: Are you employed? 

Question 4c: What industry are you employed by? 

• highway authority
• utility company
• highway authority contractor
• utility company contractor
• disability representative organisation
• another type of industry

Questions for organisations

Question 5a: Where is your organisation located? 

• England
• Wales
• Scotland 
• Northern Ireland 
• another country

Question 5b: What is the name of your organisation? 

Question 5c: How many people are employed by your organisation? 

• 1 to 100 people 
• 101 to 300 people 
• 301 to 1,000 people 
• above 1,000 people

Question 5d: What is your organisation?

• a disability representation organisation 
• a highway authority 
• a highway authority contractor 
• a utility company 
• a utility contractor  
• another type of organisation: 

Consultation questions

Where works will obstruct a footway, a safe and accessible pedestrian route should be provided. Page 51 to 55 of our draft code provides clarity on usable widths for pedestrian routes.

Where the width of a pedestrian route is restricted to 1 metre, the draft code states that this can only be implemented for a maximum length of 6 metres, including temporary walkways in the carriageway.

Question 6: To what extent do you agree or disagree that the maximum 6 metre restricted width requirement of 1 meter will improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians, including wheelchair and pram users? Why?

Pages 52 to 60 of the draft code place greater emphasis on providing safe, continuous temporary walkways with appropriate ramp gradients, smoother surfaces and barriers to separate pedestrians from traffic.

Question 7: To what extent do you agree or disagree that our greater emphasis on safety will offer safer and more accessible routes when footways are obstructed by works? Why?

Pages 61 to 64 of the draft code set out a clearer hierarchy that:

• prioritises keeping cyclists on their original route wherever possible
• discourages unsafe narrow lane widths that can encourage dangerous overtaking

Question 8: To what extent do you agree or disagree that this updated approach prioritising keeping cyclists on their original route will better protect people cycling near road works? Why?

The 2013 code did not distinguish between different types of road closures. Pages 108 to 110 of the draft code introduce new definitions for ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ closures to give clearer, more consistent options for managing safety and access.

Question 9: To what extent do you agree or disagree that these new definitions will improve how closures are understood and used? Why?

Pages 28 to 65 of the draft code include updated diagrams and clearer layouts for signs, cones, tapers and safety zones, reflecting changes in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions and wider Department for Transport guidance since 2013.

Question 10: Overall do you find these modernised diagrams clearer and easier to understand than those in the previous code? If no, explain why not?

Question 11: Overall do you find these modernised explanations clearer and easier to understand than those in the previous code? If no, explain why not?

Page 33 of the draft code includes a new diagram showing the order in which signs should be placed on site, starting with the safest and least disruptive options.

Question 12: To what extent do you agree or disagree that the diagram is clear in explaining how and where signs should be positioned? Why?

Compared with the 2013 code, we believe the draft code places stronger emphasis on accessibility and inclusion. This includes clearer requirements for ramp gradients which are stated on page 151 of the draft code.

Question 13: To what extent do you agree or disagree that the draft code’s new requirements for ramp gradients will better support disabled people and others with mobility needs? Why?

Pages 115 to 127 include more detailed guidance for mobile and short‑duration works than the 2013 code, including clearer layout requirements and modernised examples.

Question 14: To what extent do you agree or disagree that the guidance in these expanded sections will make mobile and short duration works safer? Why?

Question 15: To what extent do you agree or disagree that these expanded sections make the guidance more relevant to current working methods? Why?

Pages 128 to 140 of the draft code provide more detailed advice for working near level crossings and tramways than the 2013 code, including measures to prevent queues from blocking crossings.

Question 16: To what extent do you agree or disagree that these strengthened requirements will improve safety for those conducting works? Why?

Question 17: To what extent do you agree or disagree that these strengthened requirements will improve safety for the public? Why?

A summary table can be found on page 157 of the draft code which brings together site layout and traffic management requirements as well as being detailed in the main text of the document.

Question 18: Do you think it is helpful to include this summary table in addition to the detailed requirements set out in the main body of the code? Why?

Under the current guidance, a temporary road obstruction sign cannot be used again until 1 hour has elapsed since being displayed. Page 114 of the draft code proposes changing this so that the sign can only be used again once traffic queues have cleared and traffic is flowing normally.

Question 19: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed change to how often the temporary road obstruction sign can be used? Why?

Page 86 of the draft code displays table 6, which sets out situations where roads are narrowed during street or road works and road space is constricted.

Question 20: Overall, in these situations, how do you think occasional large vehicles such as lorries should be managed? Please explain your answer.

The previous 2013 update of the code had a 6-month lead in period before coming into force.

Question 21: Do you agree or disagree that 6 months would be a sufficient lead in period for the draft code? Explain your answer and what time period, if any, would you find acceptable?

Question 22: Overall, to what extent do you agree or disagree that the proposed update to the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice will provide benefits to you? Why?

Question 23: What, if any, further comments do you have on the proposed updates to the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice?

Freedom of information

Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be subject to publication or disclosure in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

If you want information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, under the FOIA, there is a statutory code of practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence.

In view of this it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances.

An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the department.

What will happen next

We will publish a summary of responses and the government response on the homepage for this consultation. Paper copies will be available on request.

If you have questions about this consultation, please contact:

streetmanager@dft.gov.uk

Data protection

Your personal data collected through this consultation is processed in line with our online forms, surveys and consultations privacy notice.

You can find more about how your personal data is used along with your rights within this privacy notice.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) may be used to analyse responses to this consultation. Where the consultation asks for directly identifiable information, such as your name or contact details, these will be removed before processing with AI tools.