New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Roads Third Edition (Scotland) January 2015 Approved by the Scottish Ministers under Section 130 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991

S9 Verges and Unmade Ground

S9.1 General

All backfill materials shall comply with the requirements of Section S5.

1) Topsoil within 200 mm of the surface of the verge shall be stored and re-used. Where insufficient topsoil is available from the excavation, imported topsoil may be used to a depth of 100 mm or to match the existing depth, whichever is the less.
2) Care shall be taken to ensure that imported topsoil is not contaminated with non-organic material or noxious weeds.
3) The re-use of excavated materials as backfill material in verges and unmade ground is to be encouraged as part of a policy of environmentally sustainable construction.
4) Where invasive plant species are identified within the excavated materials, these materials shall not be re-used in the reinstatement. Appropriate advice may be sought from the Authority or SEPA as to the means of permissible disposal.

S9.2 Adjacent Road Structures

1) Where road construction layers, that may include structural courses, foundations, kerbs and/or backing that provides edge support to road structures, extend below adjacent verges or unmade ground, any reinstatement therein shall take account of such provisions. The reinstatement of such areas shall match the existing layer thicknesses, with similar or equivalent materials.
2) Where there is no such edge support within adjacent verges or unmade ground, any part of the reinstatement of an excavation that comes within 600 mm of the edge of a road, shall include sub-base materials at backfill level, up to a level where a 45º fall line extending downwards from the road surface intersects the side of the trench nearest the road, as shown in Figure S9.1.

Figure S9.1 Verge Reinstatement Adjacent to Edge of Road

S9.3 Cultivated Areas

Unless otherwise agreed, cultivated areas containing shrubs, plants or bulbs shall be reinstated using the same or similar species. Thereafter, a reasonable growth shall be established within the following 12 months. Where the Authority knows of special features in verges (e.g. orchid sites etc.) it should inform the Undertaker in order to agree the best means of conserving the special features.

S9.4 Grassed Areas

1) Grassed areas shall be reinstated using the original turf, replacement turf or an equivalent seed, depending on weather and growing season. In all cases, a reasonable growth shall be established within the following 12 months.
2) Where grassed areas have previously been mown, the reinstated surface shall be demonstrably left free from stones greater than 20 mm nominal size. All other debris arising from the works shall be removed from the site. It should be recognised that stones in grassed areas tend to migrate to the surface over a period of time and this should not lead to repeated intervention.

S9.5 Verges, Ditches and Drainage Courses

Verges, ditches and drainage courses shall be restored to their original profile, unless otherwise agreed.