A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) must be made to allow temporary road closures and other temporary road restrictions to take place. Under the current regulations, two notices must be published in the press, one stating the intention to make the TTRO and another stating that the TTRO has been made. Legal Notices are also placed on site advertising the intention to make the TTRO (often seen attached on a lamp or sign post).
A TTRO may also be required for other temporary changes such as instigating or suspending a one-way system, temporary speed reductions, waiting restrictions and banned turns.
Temporary parking bay suspensions are administered by our contractor NSL, if suspensions are required please see our information on Parking Suspensions and Waivers.
Only applications in relation to works on the public highway are approved.
We inform various groups and organisations, such as Surrey Police, the emergency services and local councillors as soon as details of the road closure are known. It is the applicant's responsibility, if the closure is agreed, to identify, inform and/or consult with all those affected.
Page Contents
- Apply for a TTRO
- How much does the TTRO cost?
- What documentation and information is required?
- What are your responsibilities?
- How long can a TTRO be made for?
- What if I have any queries, concerns or complaints?
Apply for a TTRO
Temporary Traffic Restriction Order or TTRO form is used to apply for temporary and emergency road closure, footway closure, townpath closure, or Traffic Regulation Order. To apply for a TTRO please complete the online application form.
Once completed, this form will be sent to us at roadclosures@surreycc.gov.uk. We cannot accept postal applications.
Please send us the application at least 12 weeks in advance of the date required, to allow time for the TTRO to be advertised, checked and processed. We cannot process applications that are submitted with less than 12 weeks' notice.
How much does the TTRO cost?
There is an administration charge of £1172 to cover the preparation of the TTRO and press adverts for a temporary road closure or road restriction.
The costs of the two compulsory press adverts must also be met by the applicant. Total costs are approximately £2,500, however advertising costs vary according to the papers in which the adverts are published, therefore it is not possible to give an exact cost before you apply.
Please include a purchase order reference, or written agreement, on the application so that an invoice can be raised at the end of the process.
The administration charge for an emergency Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is £1045
What documentation and information is required?
The completed application form must include:
- a detailed map of the proposed diversion route and a site plan, include all sign designs with the exact wording and locations at which they will be placed
- a written description of the diversion route
- details of the separate diversion route for HGVs, if there is one
- a copy of the Public Liability Insurance which indemnifies the County Council for a minimum of £10 million in respect of one accident or claim
- if works are to take place at night, approval from the local borough or district Environmental Health department is required.
If adding screenshots or photographs of required documentation please ensure that every page is included and all information is visible.
What are the applicant's responsibilities?
For all closures, it will be your responsibility to provide appropriate signs that comply with Department of Transport (DfT) regulations for the closure and the alternative route.
You must use DfT approved (New Roads and Street Works Act, Chapter 8) personnel or companies for this; Surrey County Council do not supply traffic management or traffic management plans and the cost of the signage is not included in the cost of the TTRO.
We do not hold a list of approved traffic management companies and unfortunately cannot recommend a traffic management company for works.
Advanced warning signage must be placed on site two weeks ahead of the TTRO. The signs must comply with DfT regulations and include the following;
- who is doing the works
- why the works are being undertaken,
- start date
- duration of works
- a contact number for the work
You will also need to consider whether any bus services will be affected by the closure. If any bus stops need to be suspended, please see our information on temporary bus stop suspensions.
It is the applicant's responsibility to inform all stakeholders who are likely to be affected by the road closure or road restriction. This could include residents, parish councils, schools, businesses and churches.
Every application is different, so all stakeholders in the area affected by the road closure will have to be carefully considered, then informed and/or consulted. This allows stakeholders to make alternative arrangements during the closure period.
Conditions / Advice Notes
1. This application cannot be processed without the full completion of all the above information. Incomplete applications will be sent back to be amended. This will restart the 12 week process for temporary restriction requests.
2. It should be noted that when applying for a temporary restriction there is a maximum period of 18 months during which a road can be closed. A public right of way/ public footpath/Cycle track may be closed up to a maximum of 6 months. (This may be extended on application to the secretary of state but would require exceptional reasons).
3. There must be a gap of 3 months between consecutive closures on the same length of road.
4. The county council requires a minimum period of 12 weeks to check and process all temporary restriction applications.
5. There is a standard charge for temporary restriction requests of £1172 plus the cost of the necessary two adverts which could take the total cost of the road closure to £2,500. This must be met by the applicant. There is a standard charge of £1045 that must be met by the applicant for emergency restriction requests.
6. There will be additional charges for relocation of services e.g. the relocation and suspension of Bus Stops/ SCC attendance to switch on/off traffic signals.
7. For all closures, it will be the applicant’s responsibility to provide appropriate signs that comply with Department for Transport regulations with which to adequately sign the closure and alternative route. You must use a Department for Transport approved (New Roads & Streetworks Act {NRSWA} chapter 8) company. Whoever you opt for will, however, need a schedule of the signs required, the exact wording if site specific and when and where they should be placed. You or the supplier must produce this diversion signing schedule and this will be subject to our approval before commencement of the above processing periods.
8. Applicants or their contractors are required to hold a public liability insurance policy, which indemnifies the county council for a minimum of £10,000,000 in respect of any one accident or claim.
9. Any damage caused to highway assets, as a result of your operations are to be replaced before leaving site.
10. You are required to inform us when closed roads, paths are re-opened.
11. Closure and diversion signage must be checked at least on a daily basis to ensure signs remain in place and are legible Surrey County Council.
12. It is the applicant’s responsibility to inform all stakeholders likely to be affected by the road closure. This will include residents, parish councils, schools, businesses and churches. Every application is different so all stakeholders in the area affected by the road closure will have to be carefully considered, then informed and or consulted with. This allows stakeholders to make alternative travel arrangements during the closure period.
13. Environmental Health approvals for works out of hours must be supplied.
14. The applicant shall be responsible for erecting advance warning signs for temporary restrictions in the location agreed two weeks before the works commence. They shall have the legend ‘Advance Notice" - "Name of Road Closed from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX" - "Reason for Closure" - Contact telephone number"
15. An ‘Information Board’ must be placed by the applicant advising of the purpose of the closure and a 24 hours contact number (sign 7) during the road closure. Additionally where applicable the permit number must be displayed.
16. The applicant is responsible for erecting and maintaining signs indicating that any business etc which are affected by the closure are still open for business as usual, and from which direction access is possible. The signs shall have the following (or similar) legend ‘For (name of business) follow diversion’ and ‘Access to (name of business)’ and shall be erected at either end of the closure.
17. All frame mounted signs shall be adequately weighted using sand bags, and shall be accompanied by cones and lamps.
18. No works within the road closure shall be permitted until all diversionary and advisory signs are positioned correctly.
19. It is the applicants responsibility to cover or lay flat diversion signage when not in use. It is not acceptable to leave ‘road closed’, or diversion signs on site when the road is not restricted.
20. All signs used for the restrictions, road closure and diversion route will be removed as soon as the road is fit to return to the travelling public.
21. Any Traffic Management plans provided may be distributed to statutory consultees and the applicant has a duty to make these legible, clearly identifying the restriction length and any diversion routes to be in place.
22. Upon cancellation of a closure application, administration and advertisement fees may still be charged.
How long can a TTRO be made for?
There is a maximum period of 18 months during which a road can be closed. A public right of way, public footpath, cycle track or byways open to all traffic (BOAT) may be closed up to a maximum of six months. This may be extended on application to the Secretary of State but would require exceptional reasons.
There must be a gap of three months between closures on the same length of road.
What if I have any queries, concerns or complaints?
If you have queries, concerns or complaints about your application or the location or safety of materials on the public highway, you can contact us online or by telephone.