Permit trial extended and monitoring update
The Bowes Primary Quieter Neighbourhood permit trial commenced in September 2025. Residents within the permit area are able to access up to two permits per household or business to pass through the camera-operated modal filters at Maidstone Road and Warwick Road. Two permits have been available since June 2026.
The permit trial is being extended
We’d like to allow further time to assess the trial and carry out monitoring activities. We are therefore extending the permit for 12 months until 15 September 2027.
If you have a “Bowes Resident” permit, please check your permit expiry date. You will need to renew your permit before it expires. Your permit was issued for 12 months from the date of issue. Notifications will be sent to all permit holders in advance of your permit expiring.
To renew your permit, please access your account here.
If you hold a Blue Badge permit, this is separate from a Bowes Resident permit and not impacted by the extension of the resident permit trial. Blue Badge permits are issued with the same expiry date as the associated Blue Badge. This means that when you renew your Blue Badge, you will also need to renew your Bowes permit at the same time.
Permit trial survey
Residents, businesses and stakeholders have been encouraged to share their views and experience of the trial to help inform future decisions through the survey. Thank you to everyone who has already shared their views.
This survey will now remain open until the 15th December 2026.
We encourage residents to continue sharing their views through this survey which is open to residents both within and outside the permit trial area and seeks views on traffic, safety, access and travel behaviours. Feedback received will form part of the overall evaluation of the permit trial.
Monitoring Update
We carried out traffic surveys in June/July 2025, before the permit trial started, and repeated these in March 2026, after the permit trial had started, when 1 permit per household/business was available. The traffic surveys, known as Automatic Traffic Counts (ATCs), are temporary traffic monitoring devices placed on roads to collect information about traffic levels and vehicle speeds.
We have published the results of the analysis of the traffic surveys, which you can view here, or navigate to in the Document Library on this page. The raw survey data files are also available to view in the Document Library.
The data shows that traffic volumes on the roads in the north of the permit area (Ollerton Road, Highworth Road, Warwick Road to the north of the traffic filter, and Natal Road) have fallen over a 24 hour average and remained steady at peak periods. Traffic volumes to the south of the permit area (Warwick Road south of the traffic filter, and Maidstone Road) have increased. This tells us residents are choosing to access/leave the area via the south instead of the north. Whilst the volumes have increased, the volumes remain at desirable volumes for these types of roads and align with the objectives of the scheme.
In response to concerns raised by residents regarding safety and traffic conditions in the area including at key junctions, the Council commissioned an independent Site Safety Assessment Report.
The assessment reviewed collision data, traffic volumes, vehicle speeds, safety concerns raised by residents and site observations. The report concludes there is currently no evidence that the permit trial has led to a deterioration in road safety.
You can read the Site Safety Assessment Report here, or navigate to it in the Document Library on this page.
The findings from this assessment and its recommendations will help inform the wider evaluation of the trial alongside traffic monitoring data and resident feedback.
Next steps
The following activities are planned as part of the ongoing evaluation of the trial:
- November 2026: As a result of extending the trial, we will now be undertaking further traffic surveys in November 2026.
- 15 December 2026: Resident survey closes.
- Spring 2027: Permit trial evaluation report developed, including traffic monitoring data, safety assessment findings and resident feedback to inform decisions on the future of the scheme.
- Summer 2027: Publication of the permit trial evaluation report and a decision about the scheme.
We would like to thank residents for their continued engagement and participation throughout the permit trial.
