Councils and the Police have responsibilities and powers to keep our streets and places safe for everyone. Controlling when vehicles can access streets or parks is one of the measures we can use to achieve this.
Why we have TROs
Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) are the legal documents that restrict or prohibit use of the highway network. They help manage the highway network for all road users, including pedestrians, and they aim to improve road safety and access to facilities.
In addition to the Traffic Regulation Orders we have used for some time, government has recently created additional TROs for anti-terrorism purposes, to help keep people safe from the threat of terrorism. These Orders enable the deployment of security measures to protect the public from terrorism. They can apply on a permanent basis, or during temporary, high profile events which may present an additional security risk. An Order is made by the traffic authority (the council), on the recommendation of the Chief Officer of Police.
When and where we may use Traffic Regulation Orders for anti-terrorism purposes
We may only use special TRO for anti-terrorism powers when the Police judge the threat level and risk to the public to be sufficiently high. We can impose a temporary or a permanent TRO, depending on the type and nature of the risk involved. We might use temporary measures to protect the public in the following ways:
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Temporary street or area-wide restrictions
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- To urgently close roads to protect people from a suspected, ongoing or recent terrorist incident
- To secure a crowded temporary outdoor event.
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Permanent restricted access zones and times
- To protect people in specific streets, when the Police judge these areas to be sufficiently crowded on a daily basis. This must be restricted to the times when the streets are usually crowded.
The Police consider Bath’s main shopping streets and around the Abbey to be very crowded between 10am and 6pm, seven days a week, all year round. They have therefore advised that permanent restrictions are enforced, to protect the people in these busy areas.
If the national or security risk is assessed by the Police as severe or critical, or if there is a suspected, ongoing or recent terrorist incident, vehicles and users normally exempt from Traffic Regulation Orders for anti-terrorism purposes might then become affected. This could mean that Blue Badge holders or vehicles normally allowed within the restricted area would also be temporarily excluded. In the unlikely event that this proved necessary, we would communicate this clearly to the public.
The TRO documents in this consultation
We will be using a combination of Traffic Regulation Orders, and Traffic Regulation Orders for anti-terrorism purposes, for the purpose of avoiding danger to persons or other traffic using the road. There will be five TROs. For each one, you can view three documents:
- A summary of the proposed order
- A report which shows the decisions behind the Order
- A notice and mapping, showing where the Order will apply, and the legal wording. The notice will include blanks for dates and signatories, which will be completed if the order is approved and implemented.
These are legal documents which have to follow a standard wording and format. You may find the summary of the proposals and scheme map on our Scheme overview page are a clearer and simpler way to understand the details of what we are proposing.
| Location | Summary of restrictions | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| TRO (Anti-Terrorism) | ||
| Cheap Street, Westgate Street, Saw Close, Parsonage Lane, Upper Borough Walls | Restricted vehicle access, 10am to 6pm (including Blue Badge holders) | |
| Lower Borough Walls, Stall Street, Abbeygate Street, Abbey Green, Swallow Street (south), Bath Street, Hot Bath Street and Beau Street | Restricted vehicle access, 10am to 6pm | |
| York Street | Restricted vehicle access, 10am to 6pm | |
| Standard TRO | ||
| York Street | Restricted vehicle access, 6pm to 10pm | |
| Various streets | Waiting restrictions | |