Apply for a Portable Traffic lights Permit

A fee of £75 is payable on application. 

Please contact Roads and Neighbourhood Services on 0300 123 4510. Alternatively complete and submit our online form. (WEBFORM NEEDED)

A summary of the eligibility criteria for this licence.

The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984

Conditions may be attached to a consent.

No. It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the local authority within 30 days, please get in touch. You can do this online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or contact the Roads Team.

Please contact the Roads Manager in the first instance.

Other redress

Please contact the Roads Manager in the first instance about noise, pollution, etc.

There are two ways of applying:

• download and submit an application form
• apply online - Application to place portable traffic lights on the road

Temporary traffic signals are normally used to direct traffic whilst roadworks are being carried out.

Who do I contact when...?

• Lights don't stay on green long enough?
• Lights aren't working or a lamp has failed?
• Signals are causing excessive traffic delays?

Where roadworks are taking place there should be a courtesy board placed by whoever is carrying out the works - giving details of the company and a contact. You can either call them direct or contact us via the details given above.

How do I get permission to erect temporary traffic signals?

• Shuttle working two-way traffic lights (without a junction)
• Shuttle working two-way traffic lights (with a junction)
• Three or four-way traffic lights

Regardless of which traffic lights you require, you must seek approval from this authority.

Application for temporary traffic signals

1. The use of portable temporary traffic signals is regulated by highway legislation and authorisation is legally required from the Council.
2. All applications must be made on the proper form and all the information on the form is required to process the application.
3. The application form must be returned with a 1:500 plan (or better) showing the location of the works and the required position of signal heads.
4. The application must be received a minimum of seven days before the signals are to be installed for shuttles and 21 days before the signals are to be installed for three or four-way signals. For complicated proposals a longer lead time may be required.
5. If a three or four-way signal design is provided by the applicant, there will be an accompanying charge to be paid before authorisation will be granted by the Council.
6. The applicant is responsible for all temporary traffic management, planning the work and risk assessments. The applicant must take into account site-specific factors such as schools, zebra crossings, traffic signals, and commercial and industrial activity when planning the work.
7. All planned temporary traffic management proposals requiring the temporary decommissioning and re-commissioning of permanent traffic signals will require 56 days notice to the Council and will be subject to additional procedures and charges. Note: Due to the specialist nature of permanent traffic signals only a competent Traffic Signals Engineer employed by the Council's Traffic Signals Term Contractor will be allowed to carry out this work.
8. The operator of the temporary traffic signals must comply with DfT booklet 'An Introduction to the use of Vehicle Actuated Portable Traffic Signals' (ISBN 0-11-550781-7)
9. The operator of the temporary traffic signals is responsible for adjusting green times at sites that are subject to high traffic flows to minimise delays and balance queues.
10. The operator must immediately notify the Council of any changes to proposals and any change of information supplied on the application form.