Traffic and events on roads

Is your event using all or some of a road? Here’s what you need to know.

If you will be using parking spaces, roads or footpaths, or if you are altering the flow of traffic and or pedestrians from the norm, you’ll need a professional traffic management plan.

We can help you through the planning process and make suggestions to ensure your event is safe and runs smoothly. We can also link you to a traffic management company. Traffic management plans must be done by a qualified Safe Traffic Management Supervisor (STMS) and temporary traffic control must be carried out by a qualified traffic controller and companies.

Waipa District Council require at least 90 days, before your event date, to complete the road closure process for an event. If you’ve never been through the process before, here’s how it goes:

• event organisers hire a traffic management company/STMS and the organiser completes and submits the Event Application Form
• they create the plan with the organiser and submit it to Council
• event organisers are responsible for telling residents/businesses in the area of their plans, this can be done by a letter drop, email or meeting – whatever works best to communicate with those affected.
• for a closure, you must also publicly notify, this is done by council putting a public notice in the papers on your behalf, and if anyone objects to the road closure, they have two weeks to do so.
• all going well, and if no objections are received, a formal report goes to a Council committee and the closure is approved. If objections are received, it’s the event organisers responsibility, with support from Council, to find a solution.

The 90 days gives enough time for the process to be completed and event organisers to work through plans with those affected. It means if objections are received, there is time to work through them before the event.

Please note there is a fee for road closures and street activities. Event organisers must also pay to publicly advertise road closures. When your application is received, Council will make a decision based on safety issues, traffic management, conditions and any community feedback.

Finally, it’s important to note that Council has no say on what happens on state highways. That’s the responsibility of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).