If local politicians look at this forum please can someone explain to me why Alexandra Palace is allowed to lock roads without any level of consultation with residents. This venue is no longer a couple of times a year disruption,we are routinely disrupted with road closures and anti social behaviour.
This weekend the roads are once again closed ( earlier than their signs) and we could not get in or out. If you live on Bedford road, Dorset cottages, Terrick road you are trapped at the whim of the palace. I just cannot understand why they are allowed to freely close roads without speaking to any of the people who live there. We are not given reductions in council tax to facilitate this? I would like a local councillor to feedback. I have written so many complaints and receive a standard protocol response every time- we care, will consider you in the future etc etc
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It turns out the issue here is a Police anti-terrorism regulation intended to protect large crowds from attacks by or from vehicles. You can see the arrangement here - https://haringey.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2026-07/proposed-tmo-t1... . There was a consultation period which ended in August but so far as I know no-one was told about it. It seems to be a standard sort of arrangement the Police make. Apparently there is a similar one affecting Finsbury Park. Implementation of it at Ally Pally so far seems to have been a temporary measure, but proposed to become a permanent fixture at any large events there. I can't see whether the Council has approved making it permanent yet for future events.
Correction. Theorders which closed the roads so far this year don't seem to mention terrorism. Perhaps the terrorism provison saves the council making a new order for each event. They may simply have to put up the signs. I don't think the Palace is actually responsible. It's the Council and the Police. There was a discussion about similar arrangements at Finsbury Park 3 years ago on Hariingey Online: https://harringayonline.com/forum/topics/were-haringey-roads-closed...
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Alex, there's been a consultatio for Anti-Terrorism Traffic Regulation Order (ATTRO) at Alexandra Palace, sadly in August as you mentioned. I asked my party colleagues in the Council to enquiry on the background and addres specific points, and this below is the response from Haringey:
Thank you for your enquiry regarding the proposed permanent Anti-Terrorism Traffic Regulation Order (ATTRO) at Alexandra Palace
Was this ATTRO put in place due to a specific credible threat?
The ATTRO has been proposed as part of wider measures to manage public safety at Alexandra Palace, a major venue that hosts large events and attracts significant visitor numbers. The proposal has been developed in consultation with relevant partners, including the police, and is intended to provide a mechanism for managing vehicle access where necessary to support public safety and event management.
Assuming not, why was this ATTRO put in place - e.g. was it due to a request from the police?
The current temporary ATTRO has required repeated extensions to maintain the legal powers needed to implement traffic restrictions when necessary. The need for these ongoing renewals demonstrates that the requirement is not temporary or exceptional, but an ongoing operational one.
Making the ATTRO permanent would provide a more proportionate and efficient legal framework, removing the need for repeated temporary orders while retaining the flexibility to implement restrictions only when required for specific events or circumstances. This approach provides greater certainty for residents, visitors and event organisers and reduces the administrative burden associated with continually renewing temporary arrangements.
What was the reasoning behind making the ATTRO permanent, as opposed to ad hoc usage as current?
The current requirement to regularly renew the temporary ATTRO demonstrates an ongoing operational need for the restrictions. Making the order permanent provides a more efficient and proportionate legal framework, removing the need for repeated renewals while retaining the ability to implement the restrictions only when required.
Why does the ATTRO only cover the roads listed and not, for example, the side entrance on Duke's Avenue?
The extent of the ATTRO has been determined following consideration of the operational requirements of the venue and the locations where traffic restrictions may be required to manage vehicle access. The roads included are those considered necessary to achieve the objectives of the Order. It is not considered necessary for every access point to Alexandra Palace to be included within the ATTRO.
If an ATTRO is necessary, why is there parking onsite?
The purpose of the ATTRO is not to prevent all vehicle access to Alexandra Palace. Rather, it provides powers to regulate and restrict vehicle movements in specific locations when necessary. The existence of onsite parking remains compatible with the ATTRO, as authorised vehicles, operational access, servicing requirements and parking can continue to be accommodated where appropriate.
Why was consultation on the ATTRO run over August, when many people were on holiday?
The consultation was undertaken in accordance with the statutory consultation requirements and project timetable. While we recognise that August is a holiday period for some residents, there is no restriction on undertaking statutory consultations during this period. All representations received during the consultation period will be considered before a final decision is made.
Hi all, it's very disappointing that ATRA has not been included yet. I started the process as soon as it was constituted last October and put in touch the Chair with Haringey Democratic Services and the Ally Pally Committee officer. They were given a form to fill with all the required information for evaluation at the Alexandra Park and Palace Annual General Meeting, which is when new joiners are considered, which I believe has taken place this or last month.
Many thanks for this, Alessandra! So everyone has been trying to get ATRA moving!
A very belated response! - are you saying, Michelle, that Dorset and Terrick roads were closed off because of an event at the Palace? I don't understand that. Bedford Road is at the bottom of Ally Pally Way, which was of course closed for the Red Bull Soap Box race, but the others aren't.
Having said that, there was very little advance warning of the closure of Ally Pally Way - except to car drivers. I kept looking at the event page for the soap box race - nothing. Apparently the info was on a different webpage, about summer events, but there should at least have been a link to the webpage for the soap box race. I don't think they have ever closed the road before for fully 4 days for that race - why this time?
Thanks to Councillor AJ for checking this out with the Palace.
I believe that the Palace had an agreement with the ?Council to close Ally Pally Way a maximum of 14 days a year, but this number may have been increased. With the Fireworks festival in the autumn, the number this year would I think be 19 days. I asked the ward councillor who attends the Palace Consultative meeting about this - Melanie Gingell - and she said she would check it out when she gets back from holiday.
I checked with a member of the Palace consultative committee, and the Palace is licensed to close Alexandra Palace Way for 14 days a year, but if any of these events are 3 days or less apart, then they can close it for the additional 3 days. I think that's right.
So with 4 days closure for the Red Bull Soap box Race on 20 June (this is apparently only being held every other year):
https://alexandraparkneighbours.org.uk/forum/red-bull-soapbox-race-...
and 11 days closure for the July events in the Park:
https://alexandraparkneighbours.org.uk/forum/outdoor-events-in-alex...
and presumably there will be 4 days closure, as usual, for the Fireworks Festival in November (2 days of festivities, preceded by 1 day setup, and followed by another days to take down).
So that's a total of 19 days this year. Not sure why 4 days closure are needed for the Soap Box race - there's no stage to put up, no other events apart from catering in the East Court and perhaps the car park there, and the event ends at 7pm.
Thanks for the link to the report to the Consultative Committee on this year's events, Alessandra - I see that the Red Bull soapbox race "was managed outside the Park licence with its own controls, requiring limited Park and road closures and temporary bus diversions" . I don't understand this - in what way was it outside the Park licence? And again, why so many days of road closures?
And many thanks to AJ for copying the letter from the Palace about arrangements for the Red Bull Soap box race to this forum (see below).
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