Ice cream van chimes could be restricted near schools and hospitals across Rotherham
A draft policy drawn up by Rotherham Council would prohibit traders from playing chimes within 50 metres of hospitals and similar institutions
Ice cream van chimes could be banned outside schools, hospitals and places of worship under proposed new street trading rules in Rotherham.
A draft policy drawn up by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council would prohibit traders from playing chimes within 50 metres of hospitals and similar institutions, schools during school hours and places of worship during services to avoid disturbing people in noise sensitive locations.
The proposals would also restrict chimes to between noon and 7pm, limit them to 12 seconds at a time, prevent them from being played more than once every two hours on the same stretch of road and prohibit them sounding when another vendor is already in sight.
Separately, mobile traders would have to move on after 20 minutes once customers had been served and would be barred from stopping within 100 metres of schools for one hour before and one hour after the school day without the school’s written permission.
Council officers say the draft policy intends to provide a more consistent approach to street trading while reducing nuisance, protecting public safety and safeguarding children and vulnerable people.
Cabinet members will be asked on Monday, July 6 to approve the draft policy for public consultation before it is brought back for a final decision at a later date.