Floating a new solution to carnival travel ban (From Thisisdorset)

Floating a new solution to carnival travel ban

7:00pm Monday 6th July 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(4)

CARNIVAL organisers are upbeat after a meeting over a police ban stopping the movement of floats in the dark that had threatened to put the mockers on events in North Dorset.

Round-the-table talks organised by North Dorset MP Bob Walter at Dorset Police’s headquarters on Friday could save the day.

A row kicked off over what the carnival clubs called a “crazy situation” where floats were banned from travelling during hours of darkness in Dorset for safety reasons, but not in neighbouring Somerset.

They said that it was necessary to move them overnight during the busy carnival season.

In one instance last year, they said, a Sturminster Newton float travelled five hours overnight from Weston Super Mare only to have to wait for a police escort when it arrived at the Dorset border for the last few miles of the journey.

But now all parties are hopeful of a positive outcome.

Lee Upshall, of the Wessex Grand Prix Carnival Clubs, said in the long term it was hoped legislation could be amended so that police were not responsible if there was an accident involving a float.

He added: “In the short term, for this year Dorset Police agreed to work closely with the float and carnival organisers to facilitate safe movements of floats after dark.”

Carnival committees say that differing policies between the neighbouring counties would cause big problems for events in Sturminster Newton, Blandford, Shaftesbury and Gillingham.

Dorset Police assistant chief constable Adrian Whiting said: “Mr Walter MP has agreed to seek progress in amending regulations with the Department for Transport to permanently solve the current challenges to carnival floats.

“With this assurance it is much easier for Dorset Police to continue working on specific case-by-case circumstances and to resolve the issues for the forthcoming carnival season.”