Reinstatement standards for highway works

Current reinstatement categories, guarantee periods, materials requirements, and inspection standards for street works under the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH). The SROH 4th edition applies in England; Wales has its own SROH issued by the Welsh Government, so check the Welsh edition if you work on Welsh streets.

This reference covers the statutory requirements that apply when you reinstate a highway after completing street works. For the permit and notice process before starting works, see Highway works and street works permits.

Who must comply

Every undertaker carrying out street works has a statutory duty under Section 70 of NRSWA 1991 to reinstate the street, meeting the materials, workmanship and performance standards prescribed under Section 71. This applies to:

• Statutory undertakers (gas, water, electricity, and telecommunications companies) working under their own statutory rights
• Section 50 licence holders (private businesses and contractors with a street works licence)
• Their contractors - the undertaker remains legally responsible even if a subcontractor carries out the reinstatement

The highway authority does not reinstate on your behalf. You must carry out both the interim and permanent reinstatement, and you bear all costs including any remedial work during the guarantee period.

Qualification requirements for reinstatement

Reinstatement is a specialist activity. Operatives and supervisors must hold appropriate SWQR units covering reinstatement work. The relevant unit covers backfilling, compaction, sub-base and surfacing techniques for the specific road type.

Penalties for reinstatement failures

Poor reinstatement quality leads to defect notices, remedial works at your cost, and enhanced inspection regimes. From 5 January 2026, Fixed Penalty Notice amounts doubled for street works notice and permit offences in England under the Street and Road Works (Charges and Penalties) (Amendments) (England) Regulations 2025. Repeat reinstatement failures may also lead the highway authority to prosecute under NRSWA 1991.

Common reinstatement defects

Highway authority inspections most frequently identify these defects:

• Settlement - inadequate compaction of backfill causing the surface to sink below the surrounding road level
• Cracking - poor bonding between the reinstatement and the existing surface, or insufficient layer thickness
• Incorrect surface material - surface course that does not match the existing road surface in material type, colour, or texture
• Poor edge finish - irregular or feathered edges rather than clean saw-cut joints to existing surfacing
• Inadequate layer thickness - bituminous or concrete layers below the minimum depth specified for the road category
• Surface irregularity - bumps or depressions that exceed the permitted profile tolerance

If a defect is identified during the guarantee period, the highway authority issues a defect notice. Safety defects must be made safe within 2 hours. Other defects must be permanently corrected within the prescribed period, typically 10 working days.

Related guidance

For step-by-step procedures on obtaining permits and complying with street works requirements before starting work, see Highway works and street works permits.

For traffic management signing and guarding requirements during works, see Set up traffic management for road works.