Road closures and street parties: Terms and conditions

Temporary road closures for celebrations are carried out under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847

Colchester Borough Council will charge the actual cost of any tasks it undertakes for the closure, although we do not charge the £50 administration charge to any non-commercial or charity event. If the Closure is requested for a through road with a normal volume of traffic (any road which is not a

cul-de-sac), a properly designed diversion route will be required. If the applicant designs the diversion route and temporary signs, there will be no charge for the layout approval. If the Council designs the diversion route (if required) the cost is £100

A typical range for supplying, erecting and removing the closure including any diversion and advance warning signs is from £250 up to £2000 If requested, the Council can provide a quotation for carrying out the closure when the application has been received. One off or special signs may incur extra costs.

If the closure has to be attended for enforcement purposes the charge is £49 per hour based on 2 operatives attending.

Placing signs

Placing signs on the Highway can be carried out only by a Supervisor and operative who hold a current ‘New Roads and Street Works’ (NRSWA) certificate or IBOSH equivalent.

These certificates only allow the putting out of signs/barriers and the manning of the closure. They do not allow the holder to set up diversion routes/divert traffic in any way, lift or set bollards. You do not have to use the Council to carry out this work.

If you wish to use any other competent contractor, they will be required to send us copies of their ‘New Roads and Street Works’ (NRSWA) certificates or equivalent, before work commences.

Risk assessments

If you choose to use Colchester Borough to carry out your road closure we will be happy to carry out your risk assessment for you at no cost to yourselves.

Applications should be completed and returned at least 6 weeks prior to the event date to ensure that all administrative processes can be completed.

If the closure involves the Town Centre the Dutch Quarter one way system/Priory Street this will need to be reversed. These changes require a temporary amendment to be made to the Traffic Regulation Order and this has to be agreed by Essex County Council. An application form must be submitted to ECC at a charge of £1058.60 not payable by registered charities.

Your responsibility for bus services if your closure affects any bus routes:

• Meet with ECC about your event and determine who will take the lead on the impacts of the closure on public transport.
• Meet with the bus companies at least 6 weeks in advance of the closure to determine what the bus companies will do during the closure.
• Agree on where the buses will stop and which stops will be closed.
• Agree the diversion times.
• Agree with the bus companies who is going to produce the information and when and where it will go on display.
• Produce the material, check it with the bus companies, CBus and ECC and distribute as agreed as well as putting it on your web site. This information must include a contact point.
• Brief all your marshals and stewards or any staff dedicated to bus liaison on the arrangements.
• Remove any information put up after the event.

You must also:

• Provide a diversion route, which will be enter on the www.roadworks.org website.
• Obtain agreement from the Police that they have no objection to the Closure.
• Ensure that a person is appointed who is responsible for safety.
• Obtain Public Liability Insurance to the minimum value of £5 million.
• Notify any residents and businesses that may be affected by the closure, either in person or by leaflet.
• Allow access through the road closure for all emergency vehicles at all times. Please enclose a copy of your Public Liability Insurance with your completed application.