News

The council recognises that deliveries and collections during the Olympic period will be challenging for businesses and a balance must be struck between ensuring that businesses can operate and making sure noise which can disturb residents is minimised.

While night time deliveries aren’t banned in Westminster, the council doesn’t normally encourage deliveries between 11pm and 7am. However we recognise that some deliveries will need to take place between these hours during the Games period, and we are working to make sure that there is sufficient available kerb space to ensure essential servicing needs are met.

Particularly noisy deliveries, such as the collection of recyclables or deliveries of large, difficult loads, should take place during the day if at all possible, with quieter deliveries taking place at night. Businesses should also look carefully at delivery routes and consider whether deliveries can be reduced or combined – for example, by stocking up in advance, or by using one vehicle for deliveries from multiple suppliers or to multiple businesses at one drop-off point.

In order to minimise disruption and address concerns about the possible risk of drivers being on the receiving end of enforcement action, the council has contributed to the production of  Transport for London’s code of practice for night time deliveries, which will help to ensure out of hours deliveries are as quiet as possible. Compliance with these guidelines will help to avoid causing complaints.

Where complaints are received from residents about noise, the Council has a duty to consider them; and where a statutory nuisance exists, it is likely that Westminster’s Noise Team will take enforcement action. Compliance with the code of good conduct is the best way to ensure that your deliveries do not cause a noise nuisance.

Some businesses have licence and/or planning conditions that do not allow night time deliveries. This is mainly to minimise noise for residents living in the area. If you have these conditions in place, please contact the council’s planning and/or licensing teams to confirm how we can work together to minimise noise as a result of deliveries during the Games.

Licensing: 020 7641 8549

Planning: 020 7641 2513

We will take into account the extraordinary conditions in which businesses are operating during the Games, including road changes as a result of the Olympic Route Network, road race events, and changes around event venues.

Steps to take:

1. Find out if your deliveries and collections will be affected by changes to the roads during the Games. Visit www.tfl.gov.uk/2012
2. Consider the range of options available to you to minimize the impact – reduce, retime, reroute of revise the mode of the delivery, collection or servicing trip
3. If so the best solution is to retime the activity, check your planning and licensing conditions to find out if there are conditions restricting night time deliveries.
4. If restrictions are in place, contact the council’s planning and/or licensing department as soon as possible to agree a way forward during the Games period. Planning: 020 7641 2513; Licensing: 020 7641 8549.
5. If you temporarily switch to night time deliveries, make sure you have managed deliveries that comply with TfL’s code of practice to minimise noise for local residents – http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/london2012/21841.aspx
6. If you need advice, contact us on 020 7641 2513 (planning), 020 7641 8549 (licensing) or 020 7641 2000 (noise).