Traffic Management Orders
This page provides information about Traffic Management Orders (TMOs) for temporary, permanent and experimental schemes and works undertaken by the Council. TMOs are statutory legal documents that give the Council the authority to implement and enforce traffic or parking restrictions introduced as a part of highway schemes or works and are made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 legislation.
Restrictions are categorised into two distinct types of restrictions:
- Static restrictions - all waiting, loading and stopping restrictions affecting stationary or parked vehicles and controlled parking zones
- Moving restrictions - any restrictions affecting moving vehicles (for example, ‘one-way’ streets, ‘no entry’ points, bus lanes/cycle lanes, “prohibition of vehicles” points e.g. school streets/low traffic neighbourhoods)
Permanent orders
Most of the mandatory restrictions indicated by traffic signs and road markings that are on our streets are governed by permanent orders, such as:
- waiting and loading restrictions (yellow lines and blips)
- controlled parking zones
- on-street parking places and bays
- school keep clear zig-zag markings
- speed limits
- banned turns
- prohibition of traffic
- one-way streets
- road closures
- bus lanes and cycle lanes
Experimental orders
We use experimental orders to introduce traffic or parking scheme trials. These can restrict traffic and parking for up to 18 months, and while they are in force, their effect is monitored and assessed (and changes made if necessary), before we decide whether or not to make the scheme permanent.
Temporary orders
We use temporary orders to close roads or to restrict traffic and parking so that works can be carried out either on a road, or near a road (such as on a building site or redevelopment site). These orders may also be imposed where there is the likelihood of danger to the public (for instance, if debris is falling from a building).
Temporary TMOs can continue in force for up to 18 months or until the works have been completed, if that is sooner.
Temporary (event) orders may also be used to restrict traffic and parking for a special event, such as a street party or, a sporting event or filming that happens on the road. These are permitted once per year per street and may continue for up to three days.
Traffic orders information
You can see details of all the existing permanent and experimental static (parking related) restrictions by using the Council’s online map based streets online portal.
All the relevant statutory consultation documents can be seen in the portal, the layout of the restrictions can be viewed in a map based format and it is possible to make your objection or comment in the portal system. It is recommended that you use the portal to make sure your objection is received. Receipt of your objection will be automatically confirmed by e-mail.
You can view our proposals for current moving traffic restrictions included in traffic schemes on our statutory consultations page.
You can make your objection by writing to either the e-mail or postal address details provided in the relevant statutory notice.