Working in the Road Corridor

You will need a CAR if you are:

• Digging, excavating, drilling, resurfacing, or doing any other activity that will alter, or cause to be altered, the surface of the road corridor (road, footpath, or berm).
• Placing any pipe, duct, pole, cabinet, or other structure below, on or above the road corridor.
• Building a new driveway
• Installing private utility connections e.g. water, wastewater, and drainage
• Working near or opening manhole access covers.
• Building a new fence and your work site or equipment encroaches onto the road corridor.
• Installing advertising signs in the road corridor.

You also need to apply for a CAR for non-excavation activities such as:

• Filming
• Public events
• Using or parking machinery such as cranes or cherry pickers
• Felling or pruning trees on or over the road corridor
• Inspection works

Any projects work will require preliminary discussion with Manager Corridor Access.

Porirua City Council is responsible for approving and coordinating works within the road corridor and ensuring these works comply with relevant legislative and regulatory requirements.

A CAR is also required to:

• secure a work access permit (WAP), which is the written permission from the Corridor Manager that permits you to work in the road corridor.
• ensure coordination of works with other parties as required.
• confirm all required documentation is obtained before work starts.
• ensure existing assets and amenities are considered, e.g. surfacing, structures, underground utilities etc.
• ensure the road assets are reinstated appropriately and maintained during the warranty period.

We currently use the Code of Temporary Traffic Management (COPTTM) as a guide for approving your CAR application.

You will need to include:

1. Scope of work, including works methodology.
2. Traffic Management Plan (TMP)

• A Traffic Management Plan is a site-specific plan that covers the design, implementation, maintenance, and removal of temporary traffic management (TTM) measures while the work or activity is carried out in the road corridor (road, footpath, or berm). The plan details how road users (including cyclists and pedestrians) will be directed around a work site to minimise inconvenience while providing safe conditions for both the road user and those carrying out the activity.
  • The plan must show:
    • Dates and hours of TTM
    • How pedestrians and motorists will be able to get past the worksite safely
    • Layout distances between key TTM equipment (refer to section C2.5 of COPTTM)
• TMPs must be designed, set up, and monitored by suitably qualified personnel.
• If you are an infrequent or one-off CAR applicant, you may find it helpful to engage a traffic management company, you can find one online or in the Yellow Pages*, to apply for a CAR on your behalf.

* Porirua City Council does not endorse any particular traffic management company.

3. Supporting documents:

• Underground service plans
  • The applicant lodging the CAR is responsible for ensuring the other utility operations that may be affected by the works are consulted and/or notified. If you are excavating, you must obtain underground service plans for your proposed worksite before groundbreaking.
  • Some underground service plans can be found by visiting beforeUdig.
  • Please note not all utilities have opted to use this service, therefore you will need to contact them directly.
• Evidence of consultation with other parties
  • If your work affects any bus stops, routes, and/or your traffic management plan includes temporarily moving a bus stop, you will need evidence of permission from Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC). A copy of an email from GWRC is appropriate and you can contact them here: GWRC
• Notification letter to affected business and residents
  • If you’re working around schools, businesses, and/or residents and the work affects parking spaces, drop-off zones, and/or access to property, you’ll need to include a proposed letter of notification that will be sent to affected parties. Note: notification to affected people should be done five working days before activity starts.
• Temporary road closure form, if required.

All Porirua City Council CAR applications are processed through Submitica or beforeUdig.

You will need to create an account and follow the website instructions to upload your CAR application. Once completed, the application will be sent to the Corridor Access team.

Timeframes

The CAR must be submitted within the following minimum period before you intend to carry out activity in the road corridor:

• 15 working days for major work, or
• 5 working days for minor work.

Submitting an application is not an authority to start work, unless it is an emergency. You must wait until you receive your approved Work Access Permit (WAP) by email.

Cost

The fees are set out here. These fees are separate from any fees incurred by third party service providers to complete the Traffic Management Plans or other work.

You will receive an invoice from the Corridor Access team the following month after application.

Start

Once your application is accepted and you have a copy of your Work Access Permit (WAP) and approved Traffic Management Plan (TMP), you may access the road corridor within the Work Window Dates approved. You must notify the Corridor Access Team before the activity is to start.

Notifying us when you are starting work is required to ensure Porirua City Council has visibility of who is operating in the road network over any given period and allows for easier coordination of worksites.

Work in progress

You must always keep a copy of the WAP and TMP onsite. Within the duration of the work, you must make the site available for inspection by any person representing the Manager Corridor Access.

Work completion (excavation only)

After completing the work, and carrying out any necessary reinstatement, you must submit a Work Completion Notice (WCN) and photos of the completed reinstatement immediately after completion through Submitica or beforeUdig.

You must submit the following:

• Completed WCN, including:
• Amendments to information provided on the CAR e.g. plan, specifications etc
• A copy of the compaction tests (sheets and photos).
• A written statement confirming the completed Works comply with the WAP conditions.
• As-built plans, showing the extent and location of the work carried out.
• Details of any outstanding works e.g. road marking, texturising etc.
• After photos, which must show the full extent of the reinstatement.

Your completion notice will be reviewed within 10 working days. The Corridor Access team may require more information, as well as conduct an inspection to confirm the work is up to the required standard.

If you fail to notify of work completed within 10 working days of completion onsite, you will be charged a monthly overdue fee.

Warranty Period

Once your work completion has been accepted, the two-year warranty period begins. You are required to fix any failures to the reinstatement within this period.

Close CAR

After the two-year warranty period, you must inspect the site and confirm the reinstatement still meets the required standards. Then you must submit a Completion of Maintenance Notified form through Submitica or beforeUdig. Once accepted, your worksite will now be handed over to the Council.