You do not need a skip permit or road licence for one of our grab lorries, because the lorry loads and leaves. A skip stands on the road for days. Our grab lorry (a lorry with its own crane and grab bucket) parks, lifts your waste in and drives away.
One load carries up to 20 cubic yards, about 16 tonnes. Prime Waste Services runs grab lorries from our operating centre in Croydon, across South London and Surrey.
Why does a grab lorry not need a skip permit?
A grab lorry needs no skip permit because nothing is left on the road. The driver positions the lorry on the road or on hardstanding (a firm, paved area such as a drive or yard). The driver then uses the crane to lift your waste straight into the lorry body.
When the lorry is full, it leaves with the load. A skip works differently. It is dropped off and left until it is full, which can take days. That is why a grab lorry suits jobs where there is no space or permit for a skip on the road.
Our lorries are fitted with Epsilon cranes. The grab reaches up to 7.5m, depending on the vehicle and site conditions. So we can lift soil, hardcore, green waste and builders’ waste over walls, fences and parked cars, without the lorry entering your site. You get the waste cleared in one visit, with no permit to apply for and nothing blocking the road afterwards.
Which licences do we hold for the lorry and the waste?
We hold the licences that the lorry and the waste need, so you do not apply for any of them. Prime Waste Services holds Goods Vehicle Operator Licence OK2066087 (the licence a firm needs to run goods lorries), traffic area BB. It covers 4 vehicles at our Croydon operating centre.
We also hold Environment Agency waste carrier registration CBDU480663 (carrier and dealer, upper tier), registered on 14 April 2023. This is the registration that lets us carry other people’s waste. Every load gets a waste transfer note (a signed record of what waste we took and where it went).
Keep it, because it shows your waste went to a registered carrier. Our drivers are CPCS compliant (trained to run plant such as the crane), CSCS registered (carded to work on building sites) and DBS checked. We are fully insured.
Our grab lorries at a glance:
| Item | What we provide |
|---|---|
| Load size | Up to 20 cubic yards, about 16 tonnes |
| Crane | Epsilon crane, reach up to 7.5m depending on vehicle and site conditions |
| Vehicle licence | Goods Vehicle Operator Licence OK2066087 |
| Waste licence | Environment Agency waste carrier registration CBDU480663, upper tier |
| Paperwork | Waste transfer note for every load |
| Skip permit or road licence | Not needed, the lorry loads and leaves |
Grab lorry or skip: which needs less paperwork?
A grab lorry needs less paperwork on your side, because there is no skip permit to arrange. With us, you book the lorry, we turn up, and you get a waste transfer note when we leave. One grab lorry load carries up to 20 cubic yards, about 16 tonnes.
That usually replaces several skips in a single visit. It also means one lorry on your street for the loading time, rather than skips standing outside for days. A grab lorry suits builders, groundworkers and landscapers who need soil and hardcore gone so work can carry on.
It also suits homeowners doing a large renovation or clearance, where there is no room for a skip on the drive. For larger loads, our grab hire service is usually the quicker way to clear the site.
What do we need to know about access before we come?
We need your site address, the type of waste and the access details. With those, we can confirm the price, the right vehicle and a collection slot, subject to availability. Tell us where the lorry can stand, on the road or on hardstanding. Tell us how far the waste is from that spot, and whether there are walls, fences or parked cars in between.
The grab reaches up to 7.5m, depending on the vehicle and site conditions, so the distance matters. We take soil, hardcore, concrete, green waste and builders’ waste. We do not take asbestos, chemicals or liquids. Ask us about any other item before you book.
What happens on collection day?
On the day, the grab lorry arrives at the agreed time and loads your waste in one visit. First, the driver positions the lorry on the road or on hardstanding. Next, the driver uses the crane to lift the waste over walls, fences or parked cars where needed.
The lorry never needs to drive onto your site. Then the load, up to 20 cubic yards or about 16 tonnes, is taken away. Before the driver leaves, you get a waste transfer note for the load. If you also need materials, we can often combine the collection with a delivery where the job allows.
We supply Type 1 MOT (a crushed stone used as a sub-base under paths and drives), ballast, sand, stone and topsoil. See our aggregates and materials page for the range. For general clearances, our waste removal and site clearance pages explain what else we take away.
Which areas do we cover from Croydon?
We cover Croydon and the surrounding South London and Surrey areas from our operating centre in Croydon. That includes South Croydon, New Addington, Purley, Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Sutton and Bromley. In Surrey, we work in Kingston, Epsom and Reigate, and we also cover Wimbledon.
Being based in Croydon keeps us close to jobs across this area. Same-day and next-day collections are available, subject to availability. Reviewers rate us 5.0 out of 5.
See the full list on our areas we cover page. To book, call 020 7167 8474 or 07778 541120, or email info@primewasteservicesltd.com with the site address, waste type and access details.
Grab lorry permit questions
Do I need a road licence to hire a grab lorry?
No, you do not need a skip permit or road licence for our grab lorries. The lorry loads and leaves, so nothing is left standing on the road.
Can the grab reach over my wall or fence?
Yes, the grab reaches up to 7.5m, depending on the vehicle and site conditions. That lets us lift waste over walls, fences and parked cars from the roadside.
Will I get a waste transfer note?
Yes, we issue a waste transfer note for every load. It records what we took and shows it went to a registered waste carrier, CBDU480663.
What waste can you not take?
We cannot take asbestos, chemicals or liquids. Ask us about any other item when you book, so we can tell you before the lorry arrives.
How much does a grab lorry load cost?
We quote each job on load size, waste type, distance and access. Call us with those details and we will confirm the price before we book your slot.
Can you collect today?
Same-day and next-day collections are available, subject to availability. Call 020 7167 8474 or 07778 541120 as early as you can to check today’s slots.
