Kent County Council has scaled back its plans for a permit scheme to improve street works co-ordination.

The authority will no longer require permits for works on category three or four non-traffic sensitive streets, and has recalculated the fees that works promoters have to pay for permits, reducing some.

The changes follow claims from utilities that the figures used to justify the draft permit scheme’s fees were ‘wrong’ (Surveyor, 15 May).

The changes, which will reduce the administration cost for Kent, represent a move towards the National Joint Utilities Group’s position that permits ‘should be focused on the streets where they will deliver the greatest benefits for the lowest cost’.

Kent has also significantly extended to three months the notice period that the authority has to give for placing restrictions on utility works, and removed its ability to attach ‘local conditions’ to permits.

An application to the secretary of state is planned for October, following the second consultation with external stakeholders, which is already under way on this, the first county council permit scheme to increase control over street works.

London highway authorities, meanwhile, are pressing ahead with a permit scheme to improve street works co-ordination.

London mayor, Boris Johnson, wants the capital’s scheme up and running by March, given recent increases in the delays to journeys within the central London congestion charge zone. Fifteen London boroughs and Transport for London submitted an application to the secretary of state in early July.

A spokeswoman for TfL said all comments received from the consultation were considered, but could not disclose whether any significant changes were made to the proposals.

Depending on the Government’s response, Kent would introduce its scheme next April, while a timetable for London is unclear.