Urgent Road Closures: Temporary Notice or TTRO?
When a restriction must come into force without delay, section 14(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 allows a traffic authority to use a temporary notice rather than first making a planned temporary order. That is a distinct route with its own content, notification, display and duration rules.
Editorially reviewed 14 July 2026. Primary sources: sections 14 and 15 RTRA 1984 and regulations 10–12 and Schedule Part II of the Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Procedure Regulations 1992. For planned orders, read the complete TTRO publication guide.
When the notice route is available
The authority must be satisfied that the restriction or prohibition should come into force without delay. The underlying section 14 purposes include works on or near the road, likelihood of danger or serious road damage, and certain litter-clearing or cleansing activity.
The reason matters to duration. Section 15 generally limits a temporary notice to:
- five days where it is issued for works or the relevant litter-clearing purpose; or
- 21 days where it is issued because of danger to the public or risk of serious road damage.
If the restriction is expected to outlast the relevant limit, plan the follow-on order rather than treating the notice as indefinitely renewable.
What the authority must record and display
Regulation 10 specifies information for the notice, including the reason, effect, alternative route where applicable, commencement date and duration. The 1992 Regulations also address notification to relevant bodies and the display of copies at each end of the affected road and at diversion points.
The authority should retain:
- the decision explaining why the restriction had to start without delay;
- the signed notice and exact commencement time;
- evidence of statutory-body notifications or the urgency relied upon;
- dated photographs of displayed notices and traffic signs;
- the route and diversion information; and
- the decision and timetable for any continuing order.
Does the urgent notice itself need a newspaper advert?
Regulations 10–12 do not reproduce regulation 3's ordinary local-newspaper publication steps for a planned temporary order. Avoid ordering an “emergency TTRO newspaper advert” merely because a planned-order template says one is required.
If an order is then made solely to continue the restriction imposed by the temporary notice, regulation 7 disapplies the ordinary advance local-newspaper notice of intention. Other making, notification and display steps still need to be checked and recorded.
When Gazetted is relevant
Where the authority is making a temporary order that requires newspaper publication, start a traffic regulation order notice to review the proposed paper and price. For a section 14(2) notice itself, confirm the statutory route with the highways legal team before ordering any newspaper placement.
