Introduction
These notes are for guidance only. They are not a statement of law and you should seek legal advice if necessary
King’s Coronation Street Parties
Somerset County Council guidance for organising an event
Risk assessment for a street party
Play Streets – Playing out
Play Streets – SCC Guidance for organising a Playing Out session
Welcome to our guidance page for event organisers.
Somerset welcomes and encourages high quality events throughout the year, ranging from large festivals and sporting events to small community events. The information on this page has been collated to help organisers understand the requirements and to apply for the correct orders and licences.
If your event requires a Temporary Traffic Restriction, such as a road closure, you will need to apply for a formal order.
For all filming enquiries please contact Screen Somerset
Road Closure and Traffic Orders
Depending on the event, you will need to apply for a road closure under either:
- Section 21 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 (TPCA), or
- under a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO).
Section 21 of the Town and Police Clauses Act 1847
A road closure under the TPCA is appropriate for events such as parades, public processions, rejoicing or illuminations and for an event when the streets are thronged or likely to be obstructed.
This may include events such as Street Parties, National Days of Significance and Festive Gatherings.
It is not suitable for the fabrication of structures on the highway, or if there is a current traffic order in place – at the moment these are managed by District Councils – please visit the relevant page for each Council.
Temporary Traffic Regulation Order
If your event is large or uses the road for a considerable amount of time, or requires the restriction of a speed limit, the reversal of a one-way system or other traffic restrictions, then you must apply for a TTRO.
The cost of a standard TTRO is £1250
You must give 3 months’ notice of the required restriction (from the date full payment is received). If you apply outside of the 3 month notice period, you will incur an additional cost.
Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and rely on the network being free of planned works for the duration of your event. For more information and to check what documentation needs to be submitted with your application, see the Event Organisers Guidance Pack.
Additional Permits and Licences
Every event that takes place on or near the highway is different and will need different licences and notifications to organise. To help you to organise your event, the most common applications needed are:
Applications concerning the use of Public Rights of Way (PROW) can be made here
If the nature of your event means you need to place temporary traffic lights or stop and go boards on the public highway, you must have a licence and will need to apply to place temporary traffic lights on the road
Does your event mean that you need to temporarily suspend enforced on-street parking? If so, please complete an application for Parking waivers, suspensions and dispensations
If you are planning to erect structures or place temporary street furniture, equipment or machinery – for example fairground rides or generators – on the highway then you will need to apply for a Section 171 licence
It is the event organiser’s responsibility for safety at public events. There are several documents and links in the Event Organisers Guidance Pack to help guide you.
Contact the team
If you would like to talk to us about your application before submitting it, or seek clarification on what you may need, please contact the team:
Events Traffic Management Team
Somerset County Council
County Hall
Taunton
Somerset
TA1 4DY
Phone – 0300 123 2224
Email – eventstm@somerset.gov.uk
We always recommend that event organisers check the network prior to applying to close a road. To view current events and works, please visit one.network