Traffic Management Orders (TMO)

• How to object to or support a TMO 
• Categories of TMOs 
• Types of TMOs 
• TMO application forms 
• Notification of TMOs 

Traffic management orders (TMO) are legal documents. They enable us, as the local highway authority, to manage traffic in the city.  

How to object to or support a TMO 

Full details are given on the annual TMO pages - see the menu on the right (on mobile the menu is at the bottom of the page).

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Categories of TMOs 

TMOs fall into 2 categories: 

• static restrictions refer to parking and/or waiting, stopping and loading  
• moving restrictions refer to restrictions on the movement of vehicles, such as: 
  • one-way operations 
  • no entry points 
  • bus lanes/gates 

Some static restrictions do not require a TMO to implement, these include: 

• School Keep Clears 
• yellow box junctions 
• bus stops 

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Types of TMOs 

There are 3 types of TMOs: 

• permanent 
• experimental 
• temporary 

Permanent orders 

Most street signs and lines are a result of permanent TMOs. 

Examples are: 

• single/double yellow lines 
• parking places 
• banned turns 
• one-ways 
• speed limits 

Experimental orders 

Experimental orders are schemes introduced as an experiment to see what its effects are and can be changed if necessary. 

They last up to 18 months before either being: 

• abandoned 
• amended 
• made permanent 

Temporary orders 

Temporary orders are put in place where the use of a road needs to be temporarily: 

• prohibited 
• restricted 
• suspended 

This could be because of: 

• highway or utility works 
• street cleaning  
• situations that are likely to be a danger to the public (eg falling debris) 

Orders last up to 18 months or 6 months if affecting a footway that is separate from a main highway. 

Road humps and pedestrian crossings 

TMOs are not required for road humps or pedestrian crossings. 

The process of notification and submitting comments is similar to a TMO. 

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Temporary TMO application forms 

Temporary order form 

Download a temporary order request form: 

• Temporary Traffic Management Order request form (PDF, 62KB)

We can immediately issue a temporary notice to bar, restrict or suspend the use of a road following an emergency (eg burst water main). 

Emergency notice form 

Download an emergency notice request form: 

• Emergency Notice application form (PDF, 34KB)

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Notification of a TMO 

We must advertise each TMO. 

We do this by publishing a notice in a local newspaper. 

We may also: 

• publish the notice in the London Gazette 
• put notices on lamp posts in the street relating to the proposed TMO 

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