Kent links skip licensing to public website

The latest information about skip licences will be transferred over to Elgin, which provides national information about roadworks, enabling Kent residents to see whether a permit for a skip has been requested on their road. The scheme will also enable skip hire companies to apply electronically for licences to leave skips on the road, cutting out paperwork. Elgin is operated by technical services provider Jacobs on behalf of participating local authorities. It relies on automatic data feeds from councils' back office systems and also exchanges road works information with similar systems managed by the Highways Agency and Transport for London. Kent Highway Services is heading the project and hopes the new scheme and link-up will lead to improved efficiency. "The e-Skips scheme will allow skip companies to manage their permits and finances more easily," said Nick Chard, cabinet member for environment, highways and waste. "We hope that this system will not only benefit skip companies, but also help Kent Highway Services to better co-ordinate road works by allowing them to programme in when skips will be left on the roadside."