Street Fair - Road Closure "

Fri 13 Aug 2021, 22:48

Ask Richard Cherry. I'm sure he's been through it all.

Fri 13 Aug 2021, 12:02 (last edited on Fri 13 Aug 2021, 12:03)

I would love to know who runs the training courses so that one can qualify to put a sign in a road. I imagine sand bag management comes into it somewhere. On a more serious note, public liability insurance only covers the policy holder for their particular work. I have a £5million policy, but only covers me for locksmith work!

Thu 12 Aug 2021, 08:04

Better to seek forgiveness than ask permission...? 😉

Wed 11 Aug 2021, 23:11

Gigaclear have been putting up Road Closed signs all over Charlbury for the last year, perhaps one of their operatives would oblige and pop the signs up for you.

Wed 11 Aug 2021, 22:04

The requirement has come from Oxfordshire County Council, who were consulted by the person who is handling this for WODC. This is what happens when bodies are consulted; they suddenly find a whole lot of other stuff that is required.

This is what they wrote. We are covered by third party insurance from the Corner House and War Memorial Charity, and we do have risk and road plans, including signs, but I'm a bit thrown by the specificity of who can erect a sign.

"Please can you ask the applicant to also forward a copy of their Public Liability Insurance for £10million.

 
Oxfordshire County Council will also need to obtain a copy of the organisers Traffic Management plans, risk assessment and signage schedule. All signage must be placed onto the public highway by a qualified, accredited individual or Traffic Management Company (holding £10million Public Liability Insurance) and signage must comply with the current Traffic Signs Manual Chapter Eight and the Safety at Street Works Code of Practice/The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016."

None of this is mentioned under the guidance for road closures applications Under Town Police Clauses Act 1847. Pretty well all of what is there on the WODC (and government sites) is about closures for street parties and the like and emphasises how simple it all is.

If I hit a roadblock (unfortunate word, as a roadblock is what I'm seeking), then I might have to ask for Liz's assistance. Hopefully I will get it sorted out.

Wed 11 Aug 2021, 21:52

My slightly polite comment would be “oh for goodness’ sake” and I will refrain from saying what I really think.

Complying with TSM is not in itself hard, it’s the bureaucracy imposed by WODC that’s the issue. My first suggestion would be to ask OCC Highways if they are prepared to audit it – i.e. you send them a plan (with photos) of where the signs are going, they give it the nod, you place the signs, they come out for half an hour and check it’s ok.

Failing that, some signage companies are cheaper and more flexible than others. MSL Lighting (http://www.msl-lighting.co.uk) are very good – they’re not particularly nearby unfortunately so I guess you’d effectively be paying for most of a day of one of their engineers’ time, but that might work out as more cost-effective than others.

(Then phone up the Oxford Mail and tell them that Street Fair donations have been diverted to signage because of WODC bureaucracy…)

Wed 11 Aug 2021, 20:37

Good grief!  Does the Town Council need to nominate WODC for an award for the pettiest piece of bureaucracy of the year?

Wed 11 Aug 2021, 19:10

Unfortunately no. The road signs have to conform to what turns out to be a 374 page document (that's just chapter 8), and it's not to do with whether they are on the public highway or not, but about the right signs in the right place in the right for and so on. Needless to say, the Traffic Signs Manual is designed for road works and covers everything up to and including motorway contraflows.

Wed 11 Aug 2021, 18:27

Is it possible to place or locate any required signs adjacent private land to overcome this technicality  ?   

Wed 11 Aug 2021, 18:09 (last edited on Wed 11 Aug 2021, 18:10)

Help request for road closure sign placement for Street Fair

As secretary of the Street Fair Committee, several weeks ago, I submitted the usual road closure request to West Oxfordshire District Council under Application for : Road Closure Under Town Police Clauses Act 1847.

In days past, this was dealt…

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