Road Licences

Organising an Event On, or Affecting the Public Highway

General Guidance

Every day there are a lot of activities on the road; roadwork repairs to essential utilities (gas, water, electricity etc) and the maintenance of the road. Throughout the year other activities take place on the highway such as carnivals, processions and street parties. Additionally broken down cars, road traffic collisions and other incidents involving the police and emergency services mean a road can be closed at short notice.

In order to help you have a successful event, and to enable your guests, visitors and participants to get to and from the event quickly and safely, we need to know about it. If we are aware of your event, we can try and prevent delays from digging up the road by other organisers. Whilst we cannot guarantee there will be no delays, we will have more opportunity of co-ordinating activities if you tell us about your event well in advance.

An event can only be held on the public highway with the approval of the relevant licensing authority.

You will need to carry out a risk assessment to demonstrate that you have considered and minimised any potential risks on the public highway. This should identify the need for any changes to the normal traffic routes, for example a road closure, or change to a one way street or weight limit for traffic management or safety reasons.

Please note: 'Highway' is a road or street, verge, footway or pavement, public footpath or bridleway.

  • To register an event in Plymouth or Torbay, please contact those councils directly.

Registering your event

  • Events ON the highway

If your event is going to be on the public highway and you do not need to close the road (having completed a full risk assessment), you will simply need to register your event 3 months in advance with Devon County Council.

If your event is going to be on the public highway and you do need to close the road (having completed a full risk assessment), you will need to apply Devon County Council for a road closure 3 months in advance.

  • Events OFF the highway

If your event is likely to generate a significant amount of traffic, you should involve us at the earliest possible stage in order to ensure that an acceptable traffic management plan is prepared and register your event at least 3 months in advance in order to allow sufficient time to co-ordinate your event with other activities in the immediate area.

If your risk assessment identifies a need to close a road or other changes to the normal traffic route, you will need to apply to Devon County Council for a road closure 3 months in advance.

Some examples of events off the highway include: Race for Life, music concerts, Beautiful Days festival, the Motorcycle Rally, football and rugby matches.

Major Events (Typically over 5000 people)

This type of event:

  • Requires a road closure to hold the event or to manage traffic; or
  • has a major impact on traffic; or
  • disrupts traffic over a wide area or on a main road; or
  • requires multi agency planning including the Police and emergency services (known as a Safety Advisory group); or
  • requires a detailed traffic management plan, and
  • attracts an entrance fee or is a commercial event.

Examples: Great West Run, Dartmouth Regatta, Ottery Tar Barrels.

If your event falls into this category you will be required to arrange a Safety Advisory Group, prepare a traffic management plan and complete the full application at least 3 months in advance.

If your event involves closing a road(s), making roads ‘one-way’, or regulating traffic, you MUST apply for a traffic order at least 3 months in advance.

Significant Events (Typically 1000 – 5000 people)

This type of event:

  • impacts local traffic but does not significantly affect major routes, or
  • disrupts traffic in the area around the event, or
  • requires involvement of the Police, District and County Council, or
  • requires a traffic management plan, or
  • requires traffic regulation orders, or
  • requires notification to local community and parishes, and
  • attracts an entrance fee or is a commercial event

Examples: Goosey Fair, Widecombe Fair

If your event falls into this category you will be required to arrange a Safety Advisory Group, prepare a traffic management plan and complete the full application at least 3 months in advance.

If your event involves closing a road(s), making roads ‘one-way’, or regulating traffic, you MUST apply for a traffic order at least 3 months in advance.

Minor Events (Typically 500 – 1000 people)

This type of event:

  • impacts local traffic but does not significantly affect major routes, or
  • disrupts traffic in the area around the event, or
  • requires involvement of the Police, District and County Council, or
  • requires notification to local community and parishes, and
  • attracts an entrance fee

If your event involves closing a road(s), making roads ‘one-way’, or regulating traffic, you MUST apply for a traffic order at least 3 months in advance.

You must also contact your District Council if you require other licences such as food stalls, selling alcohol or anything that involves a structure of any kind.

Small Community Events (typically up to 500 people)

This type of event:

  • has been held, in the same location, under the same name and at generally the same time  of year, in the previous year (or years) or
  • covers no more than 2 miles of carriageway, all subject to a speed limit of 30mph or less, would be subject to the terms of the order, and
  • does not require the restrictions or prohibitions imposed by the order to remain in force for more than 12 hours.

Examples: Dunsford Pancake race, Stokeinteignhead Fuzzy Dee Duck Race.

If your event involves closing a road(s), making roads ‘one-way’, or regulating traffic, you MUST apply for a traffic order at least 3 months in advance.

You must also contact your District Council if you require other licences such as food stalls, selling alcohol or anything that involves a structure of any kind

How to apply

Print off the documents below, read all the information and complete all parts of the forms. The application should be sent, along with the application fee, to the appropriate Highway Management Office.

Things to consider when planning your event:

What does it cost?

To register your event with Devon County Council and advertise the Order to close the road:

Special events form

  • A   £160
  • B   £50
  • C   No charge

If you require any further information please contact your Area Highway Management Office.

Further information and guidance can be found in the Home Office The Good Practice Safety Guide and the HSE ‘Event Safety Guide’ available from HSE books (code HSG195).

Other permissions

Please contact your local District Council Licensing Department in case you need additional permissions or licences for activities such as preparing and selling food, selling alcohol, markets, street selling etc.

Traffic Cones For Events and Road Closures

Since 1 June 2009, the Police are no longer the suppliers of ‘No Waiting’ Cones for the majority of special events held in Devon. These will now be supplied by Devon County Council.

Event organisers who require road closures to stage an event, or the suspension of waiting and parking restrictions in the neighbouring roads as a part of the traffic management plan for an event, should contact their local Devon County Council Office see the Highway Management Area Offices Map and complete an application form at least 3 months prior to the event.

Charges apply for processing applications and these vary subject to the size and the nature of the event.

Contractors who require road closures or temporary suspensions of parking to allow for roadworks , should also contact the Devon County Council Area Office for advice.

Informal Traffic Cone Requests

Parking teams from your local District Council will provide up to 5 cones for short term informal use to private individuals, or small businesses to help with house/business removals, weddings or funerals.  These cones are advisory only , and penalty charge notices cannot be issued to a vehicle choosing to park between them.

Traffic cones must be booked at least 24 hours in advance and will have to be collected by the customer from a local depot. Although the cones will be provided free of charge, a security deposit will be payable payable on collection, is required for the duration of the loan period. . The deposit will be refunded when the return of the cones are returned..

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E-mail: customer@devon.gov.uk