Apply
Contact us if you would like to close a road for works or safety reasons, or you can apply for a road closure using the button below.
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Your application
Any member of the public or any company or contractor can apply to close the road to allow works or for safety reasons.
For applications for parking waivers please go to Parking waivers – suspensions and dispensations
Applications for closures of Public Rights of Way please contact our Rights of Way Team at rightsofway@somerset.gov.uk
If your application is within the next 90 days, you must have spoken to a member of the team before completing this application. You will require your reference number and the name of the officer you spoke with to complete this application. If you have not already done this, please contact them at streetworks@somerset.gov.uk
For road closures, you must submit a plan showing the location of the closure, the proposed diversion route and a signing schedule for all temporary road closure applications for works purposes at the time of submitting this application. Approval of the application will be dependent on the suitability of your proposed diversion route.
Please note that approval of applications will be subject to coordination for other works and events on the network and your requested date may not be suitable.
Applicants must:
- Give 3 months’ notice of the required restriction; applications received outside of the standard 3 month notice period will incur an additional cost (see below).
- Agree to meet our costs, provide, erect, maintain and remove diversion signs.
- Inform all interested parties known to be directly affected by the proposed prohibition, including all frontages on the length of the road concerned and those identified by the Council.
- Ensure that road space for works is booked 3 months in advance of the works starting.
- Provide a diversion route plan and signing schedule with the application form.
Costs
- Temporary Traffic Restrictions Orders for example, road closure £1525.
- 5-day Urgent Notices and 21-day Emergency Notices £645.
- Temporary Traffic Restriction Orders applications received outside of the standard 3 month notice period will incur an additional cost of £1100 and this would be in addition to the fee charged for processing the Temporary Traffic Restriction Orders.
- For each additional road included in the Temporary Traffic Restriction Orders, up to a maximum of 5 roads, a charge of £220 will be made.
- One type of restriction is included in the £1525 fee. Additional restriction types will be charged at £220 each.
- For Temporary Traffic Restriction Orders applications requesting more than 10 roads the charge will be subject to negotiation with the applicant.
- For any date changes within two weeks of the deadline, where all the administration has been completed, there will be an additional administration charge of £645 to the applicant.
3 steps to closing a road
There are 3 steps to closing a road.
1. Administration – When we receive the application, we check that the information supplied is complete and that we have received payment. We carry out a desktop study to assess the closure and possible diversion routes. We contact the emergency services and communicate the closure, including newspaper advertisements at key stages during the road closure.
2. Signage maintained – The diversion route signs must be maintained for the duration of the road closure. This is carried out by the company conducting the works but is monitored by our team.
3. When completed – The whole signage for the works and diversion must be removed when the works have finished. This is done by the company that closed the road, and we check to make sure it is done.
Road Space Booking
Please remember that in addition to the application to close a road for works, you need a valid road space booking.
If there is no valid road space booking your application may be declined.
This road space booking may take the form of a Streetworks Permit, Section 50 licence, Section 278, Section 171, Section 184 agreement or Skip or scaffold application.
Please follow the instructions on the application form.
For Statutory Undertakers (for example, Utilities) please see the Somerset Council Permit Scheme (PDF 522KB).
Apply for a temporary closure of a public right of way
It is sometimes necessary to close a public right of way temporarily for development, forestry operations or maintaining utilities. Wherever possible an alternative route should be provided.
We will process your application and may contact you if we need more information.
The normal time from requesting an application to receiving a granted order is approximately 3 months. But this may take longer at busy times.
The Road Closure Application – Guidance notes give the current pricing, which is subject to change by the administration and legislative changes.
We expect payment to be made at the same time as the application is submitted so that we can ensure advertising deadlines are met. Cheques to be made payable to Somerset Council.
‘Apply now’ online is not currently available for public rights of way closures, so please visit Apply for a temporary closure of a right of way for the application form.
General information
Other forms of closure
- For certain types of events, for example parades and processions, you can apply here.
- Permanent road closures: In certain cases, it may be possible for a member of public to apply to us for a Stopping Up Order to remove the highway rights and therefore close the road to the public. This is done through the Magistrates Court and the applicant must bear the cost of the application, including all legal fees.
Nightworks will usually take place between 7pm and 7am, although this can vary for specific jobs.
Although vehicular access may be restricted for a maximum of 8 hours (in any 24 hours) and pedestrian access must be maintained throughout the closure period, the contractor will provide you with advance warning two weeks before the planned works. If you have any questions about the closure, please contact the contractor or company conducting the works.
If you own a business affected by a road closure, there is no legal obligation or express statutory authority that enables us to compensate for increased costs or any financial loss suffered as a result of the road closure. If your property or business is affected by the closure, the applicant for the road closure should have made you aware that an application was being made.
If the works have been completed and signs, including diversion route signs, have been left please contact us to arrange for their collection.