Are you planning to hold a demonstration, parade or sporting, social or entertainment event?
If the answer is yes, you may require the closure of a road. This page will provide you with the background information you will need to be aware of in order to submit an application to the local co-ordination manager.
For information on street parties, please follow the link on this page to apply for a road closure for a street party.
You can apply by:
- Completing the on-line form by following the link on this page.
- Printing and completing the pdf attached to this page and sending it to your local co-ordination manager, details of whom are given on the form.
Guidance and advice for persons organising events within the public highway - general
Before an event is organised within the public highway, you are advised to contact West Mercia Police Headquarters, Hindlip Hall, Worcester (telephone: 0300 333 3000). This will allow a check to be made to ensure that your event does not clash with other events in the area which may affect public safety. Organisers can also take the opportunity to ascertain whether the police would be willing to take on the responsibility of controlling the traffic at the event.
Safety on the highway
Roads affected by the event should be identified and advice taken with regard to road safety. In most cases where the event will affect traffic movement a road closure order is required, and the attached form should be completed and sent to the highway authority giving plenty of notice, certainly no less than two months before the event. If a road is to be closed, a suitable diversion route for vehicles must be signed correctly - advice can be sought from the local co-ordination manager's office of the council. The signing of the diversion and road closure can be carried out by one of the many traffic management companies listed in the phone book. Again, advice will be given by the local co-ordination manager's office.
An assessment of the risks involved in holding the event on the public highway should be carried out, identifying all possible hazards and precautions to be taken to ensure the safety of all persons attending, including stewards, helpers, members of the public etc. A written copy of this assessment should be attached to the road closure application. If outside contractors are to be used at your event the organiser should ensure that they have carried out their own risk assessment.
The organisers are responsible under law for the safety of all persons attending the event, including helpers, the public and paid staff.
Public liability insurance
Event organisers are required to have public liability insurance. If external contractors are being used, the organisers must ensure that they have their own public liability insurance.
Publicity prior to the event
All types of event held within the public highway have one thing in common - they will be outside or near someone’s property and may affect their enjoyment of that property or their access to and from it. This should be borne in mind when organising an event within the highway, and contact should be made with all persons likely to be affected in any way. Contact can be made via a knock on the door and chat, a card/leaflet drop to all affected properties, articles in the local press/media, or distribution of posters (but not fly posting) around the area.
In all cases, give an explanation of what the event entails, such as road closures, and a contact number of someone who is able to sort out problems satisfactorily before the event. Remember it may not just be properties in the road where the event is held that may be affected; take care to look at a map to ensure that everyone likely to be impacted upon is informed. Be a good neighbour - this is the organiser’s responsibility.
Data protection statement
The information you provide will be held under the Data Protection Act 1998. It will be used solely for the purposes of processing this application and will be retained for a maximum of five years. Information may be disclosed to local councils, the police or the emergency services for the purpose of verifying the information you have given and to ensure that the necessary traffic management arrangements are in place.
Are you planning to carry out works on the road?
Follow the link on this page if you are scheduled to carry out roadworks that require the closure of a road.