Street Trading Policy consultation

Woking Borough Council is seeking your views on its draft Street Trading Policy.

Street trading can make a positive contribution to our communities by supporting local businesses, offering greater choice to customers, and helping to create vibrant town centres and village centres.

However, it is also important that trading activities are carried out safely and do not create obstructions or inconvenience to others using the highway.

To balance these factors, the draft policy sets out a clear and consistent approach to how street trading will be managed using existing powers. In particular, the policy has been developed to:

• Promote public safety.
• Ensure streets and pavements remain accessible for all users.
• Support responsible and well-managed street trading.
• Provide clarity for applicants and existing traders.
• Promote consistency and transparency in decision-making.
• Help protect the amenity of residents, businesses and visitors.

When considering applications, Woking Borough Council will consider:

• Whether pedestrians can pass safely.
• Access for wheelchair users, mobility scooter users and people with pushchairs.
• Potential road safety issues.
• Visibility for road users.
• Emergency access requirements.
• Potential nuisance from noise, litter or waste.

The aim is to strike a balance between supporting street trading and ensuring public spaces remain safe and accessible for everyone.

We welcome comments from:

• Residents.
• Local street traders.
• Local businesses.
• Visitors.
• Community groups.
• Any other interested stakeholders.

We recommend you read the draft Street Trading Policy before completing the consultation. You can view the draft policy by clicking on the link below or the button on the right.

The consultation closes on Sunday 15 November 2026.

What next?

All responses will be reviewed and considered.

A report summarising the consultation findings will be presented to the Licensing Committee, which will consider any proposed changes before deciding whether to adopt the policy.

Your feedback will help shape how street trading is managed in the future.