Safeguarding & Security

We have on site 24/7 security and stewards who are there watching over things so that everyone can enjoy the festival as much as possible. Friendly but firm if you need them. They are there to protect you but promise to always be approachable and fair.

Please look after all your valuables during your time at the festival. Remember, your possessions are your responsibility, so only bring what you need – the less stuff you need to keep an eye on, the better.

Bag searches will be conducted upon entry. We ask all customers to only carry a small bag (no bigger than an A4 piece of paper) if absolutely necessary. Anyone found to be in possession of banned substances or items will be refused entry and the appropriate legal action will be taken. In this instance, no refunds will be issued. A list of these prohibited items can be found below:

Prohibited Items

• Illegal Substances
• Gas canisters & BBQs
• Weapons
• Sharp Objects
• Glass
• Pyrotechnics / Flares / Fireworks
• Food
• Alcohol
• Golf Umbrellas
• Flags
• Animals (with the acceptance of previously agreed assistance dogs)
• Large Bags – No bags bigger than an A4 piece of paper will be allowed on site
• Chairs
• Aerosols
• Lasers/Laser pens

Tramlines Festival is a safe and inclusive space that invites everyone – regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality or ability to join the party at Hillsborough Park. Our fans and the community we have grown make Tramlines the festival it is today and we ask all festival goers to follow our Tramlines Ethos at all times. View our Ethos HERE.

We are committed to promoting and upholding the best practice to address incidents of sexual assault or harassment. We have a zero tolerance policy towards any kind of sexual harassment or assault and take this issue extremely seriously within our planning and procedures this includes:

• Provision of welfare services
• Close-working relationship with South Yorkshire Police and other relevant agencies
• Training of all staff and contractors 

Alongside the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), we will be supporting the Safer Spaces campaign and Charter of Best Practice. You can find out more information here. The campaign encourages festival goers to play an active role in promoting safety, with three key messages:

Be an Active Bystander: 

An Active Bystander is someone who responds effectively to harmful behaviour and provides support. 

The 5 Ds of how to be an active bystander:

DIRECT – directly intervene in the situation

DISTRACT – take an indirect approach to deescalate the situation and interrupt what is happening

DELEGATE – get help from someone else to intervene

DOCUMENT – the situation as it is happening

DELAY – after the incident has happened check in with the person who was harmed.

Zero-Tolerance to Assault & Harassment

It’s important to remember that sexual violence is ALWAYS the fault of the perpetrator or perpetrators. If you’ve seen sexual violence happening before and either couldn’t or didn’t act, please know that you are not to blame.

If you or any of your friends experience any kind of sexual assault or harassment you should report it immediately and know that it will be taken very seriously by police and event organisers.

Consent

Consent means agreeing to do something. When it comes to sex, this means someone agreeing to take part in a sexual activity. Any form of sexual contact without consent is illegal whatever the age of the people involved. If you do not give consent and a person still engages in a sexual act, this is sexual assault or rape. Remember you shouldn’t ever feel pressured into any kind of sexual activity. It’s ok to say no or change your mind.

All bags are subject to search on entry. To avoid lengthy queues we strongly advise that you do not bring a bag. Please allow plenty of time for queues, entry procedures, ticket checks and searches.

Bags larger than A4 in size are not permitted.

The safety of all Tramlines goers is of highest priority to us, and this means we must have certain rules in place to protect the safety of our younger festival-goers. Please see our age restrictions and ID requirements below.

16 & Over

Anyone 16 or over is welcome to attend the festival on their own.

We accept the following forms of ID to enter the festival:

• Your current passport
• Your UK Driver’s Licence or Provisional Licence
• VALIDATE UK
• Citizen Card

Please note we cannot accept other forms of ID.  Photocopies will only be accepted to gain entry but the real document will have to be shown to purchase alcohol.

Under 15’s

Anyone who is aged 15 or under must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.

Challenge 25

A challenge 25 policy will be in place for all alcohol sales on site. If you look under 25, you will need a valid photo ID to be served alcohol, this can include a Passport, Driver’s Licence, Validate UK or Citizen Card are accepted. Please note: Photocopies will not be accepted as a form of ID to purchase alcohol.

Please read Tramlines’ Ethos below and bear this in mind when joining us at Hillsborough Park.

We operate a Prevent, Pursue, Protect policy. This means, Prevent illegal drugs from getting onto the site, Pursue anyone suspected of supplying illegal drugs, Protect the festival-goers.

Tramlines has a zero-tolerance drug policy. Any illegal drugs will be confiscated and the police may decide to prosecute. New psychoactive substances, Poppers, and Nitrous Oxide are also strictly prohibited and may result in ejection from the event. Searches are a condition of entry to the festival.

We really want all our festival-goers to stay safe at this year’s festival. Please don’t take any risks. You can find out all the latest information on legal highs at www.whynotfindout.org

For more information about how to stay safe head to www.talktofrank.com

If you or any of your friends are feeling unwell you can visit our on-site welfare team who will be able to help you

Festival-goers are permitted to bring 1 x 500ml sealed water bottle or an empty bottle into the Main Stage arena. Free drinking water is provided on-site. Please note taking alcohol into the festival is not permitted. Any alcohol found will be confiscated at the gates. Drinking is not permitted in the queues.   

Challenge 25 

A challenge 25 policy will be in place for all alcohol sales on site. If you look under 25, you will need valid ID to be served alcohol.

Our Welfare Tent is open from open until the festival closes each day and our experienced and supportive staff are here to offer support if you need them.  They can give confidential advice about alcohol, sexual health, mental health and offer support if you want to talk to someone.

The Welfare team is not here to make judgements or get you in trouble. Their service is totally confidential so you can be honest with them about any problems you are experiencing and they will do their best to help you. 

Personal Welfare & Safety

Event stewards are here to help you. Don’t be worried about asking for help in any situation, whether it’s asking for directions or to report something or someone you’re worried about.

Admission to the event is at Ticket Holder’s risk. Tramlines Events Ltd and the Premises Licence Holder will not be held liable for any loss, injuries or damages sustained at the event including damage, theft or losses to property and motor vehicles if the cause is due to the negligence of the ticket holder or the actions of other patrons or thirds parties or force majeure.

Sheffield Mind Sensory Area

In 2023, we partnered with Sheffield Mind to create a Sensory Area at the festival. The sensory area will be for anyone who needs somewhere to relax, regulate or just enjoy a quiet, friendly chat. Located near the Welfare tent, our area will provide a haven for people who identify as autistic, neuro-divergent or sensitive to over-stimulation.

We are working with Counter Terrorism Policing to encourage live music fans to #BeSafeBeSound.

Counter Terrorism Policing is collaborating with the UK’s biggest music venues, arenas and festivals to deliver vital safety advice to the public.

We all have a role to play in keeping each other safe. Your safety is our priority and that’s why we have a comprehensive search procedure and prohibited items policies in place.

You can play your part by trusting your instincts, and if you see something that doesn’t feel right, tell security. Our teams will take every report seriously. You won’t be wasting their time.

Here are some quick tips to help you have a safe and enjoyable time:

• Arrive early, allowing more time for security checks and measures.
• Be patient with security checks. It might seem inconvenient, but they are in place to help you.
• Keep it simple and minimise what you carry. Fewer bags to search will speed up entry.
• Stay alert and look out for each other. If you see something that doesn’t feel right, tell security. Don’t leave it to someone else.
• Don’t leave bags unattended. Never agree to look after a stranger’s bag, no matter how genuine they seem.
• If there is an incident, listen to staff and any announcements.

In an emergency, always call 999.

Have an amazing time, and if you see something that doesn’t feel right, report it to security straight away. Thank you for playing your part. #BeSafeBeSound. More information on the #BeSafeBeSound campaign can be found by clicking the link here.