Outdoor traders throughout the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames wishing to trade along the London 2012 Cycle Road Race routes have until February to get their applications in.

The clock is ticking for businesses wanting to trade or advertise close to the routes of the London 2012 Men’s and Women’s Cycle Road Race and Cycle Time Trail event, which pass through the Royal borough of Kingston upon Thames.

By the end of February, outdoor traders need to have secured permission to operate at Games-time in 27 special ‘Event Zones’, usually stretching no more than 200 metres from stadiums and sports facilities. Similarly, only advertisers which obtain approval will be able to advertise in these areas, with the deadline for public applications also being 29 February 2012.

Restrictions on advertising and outdoor trading are a requirement of the contracts that host cities sign with the International Olympic Committee. They are now common practice at major international sporting events.

London 2012’s website -  www.london2012.com/advertisingandtrading  - explains where the rules on advertising and outdoor trading near venues will be implemented (with a postcode checker), how they will be enforced and when they will apply. It spells out the application process and criteria for authorisation, includes a detailed guide and shows examples of practices that do not require authorisation, or can only be carried out if authorisation has been obtained. 

The Advertising and Trading Regulations cover all trading in open public places within ‘Event Zones’ during the periods in question - including roads and any land that the public has access to, and all forms of advertising. However a number of exceptions mean that certain forms of trading and advertising do not require authorisation.

Examples of activities where no authorisation is required are deliveries of food and newspapers, advertising on buses and taxis carrying passengers through an Event Zone, advertising inside a building, and most existing shop signage.

Authorisation has to be obtained for open air trading activities including selling from temporary buildings like marquees, busking and collecting for charity. It will also have to be obtained for advertising on billboards and poster sites, for example, but authorisation will be reserved primarily for sponsors of the Games. 

Advertising that is not expected to be permitted includes advertising by non-sponsors which aim to engage in ‘ambush marketing’, such as temporary advertising, distributing direct advertising literature, and arranging for advertising ‘giveaways’ in an Event Zone.

The public application process for advertising is open until the end of February 2012, and applications can be made to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) by email or by post.

Applications for permission to trade outdoors need to be made to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) by the same date and will shortly also be able to be made online. There is a right to ask for a review of the two organisations’ decisions by the ODA, which is a public body.

The ODA is responsible for enforcement of the Regulations and is working with Kingston Council to designate and train a small team of trading standards officers and other enforcement officers to enforce the Regulations.

A full list of Event Zones where the Regulations will apply can be found in the detailed notice at www.london2012.com/documents/oda-publications/detailed-provisions-of-the-advertising-and-trading-regulations.pdf