Please read this guidance should you wish to apply for a Play Street to permit you to close off a road for the purpose of children’s play.
- All road closures require a statutory Traffic Regulation Order. This involves a prescribed legal process which usually takes 10 to 12 weeks to complete. The Council are also required to advertise the details such as, the street name, timing, and frequency. We will process applications four times a year and the deadlines for submission are; the end of January, end of April, end of July and the end of October. The costs for this process will be paid for by the Council.
- Please make sure you give all the information requested on the form. To prevent delays, you will need to enclose a copy of your resident consultation letter and a list of supporters with your application. Only one application per street will be allowed.
- Please note the following conditions:
3.1. The decision to approve your application will consider the potential impact on the road network. Play streets will only be authorised in residential streets that are not bus routes.
3.2. No closure may be of more than 3 hours duration.
3.3. An Order is made entirely for the purposes of children’s play and may not involve the placement of any non-play equipment on the highway during its use.
3.4. No activity requiring any form of license (under the Licensing Act 2003) e.g. the sale of goods, may be undertaken.
3.5. Vehicular access and egress for residents or businesses and their visitors must be maintained during any closure period.
3.6. On-street parking will not be restricted for residents during the play street.
3.7. In the event of an emergency or urgent works for example; a water or gas leaks, the Council reserves the right to suspend the Play Street.
3.8. The road may only be closed on the dates and times agreed.
3.9. The organiser is responsible for arrangements for placing cones and signs for the closure. These must comply with the Councils requirements at all times i.e. signs must be placed in a prominent position visible to drivers and the cones must be placed a maximum of 1.5m apart. Equipment must be removed immediately to allow access for the emergency services, residents and businesses. The organiser is responsible for the removal and storage of all equipment at the end of each Play Street period.
3.10. Closure points should be permanently manned to ensure the safety of the children playing in the street and also to enable access if required.
3.11. You must clean the street in order to return it to its condition prior to the closure and this must be done before the road is reopened. - The Council will provide the necessary signs, cones and up to six high visibility vests to the organiser along with guidance on their use for the road closure. Equipment may be shared amongst local groups (signs / cones) and it is the organiser’s responsibility to collect store and return the equipment (as necessary) and to ensure they are available for use.
- The organiser must provide volunteers to act as stewards and they will be responsible for helping to move
children out of the way to enable drivers to pass. Stewards must wear the high visibility vests provided by the Council (max 6). - Stewards must ask divers entering the closure to take all due care and not to exceed 5 mph. They must also escort vehicles in and out of the closure, walking in front of vehicles as they enter and leave the closure.
- Through drivers are not permitted access to the street while a Temporary Play Event session is happening.The Council reserves the right to revoke approval if the closures are not implemented in accordance with these requirements or considers that the activities are not managed in a safe manner.