Traffic Management Act John Webb Technical Manager United Utilities Water plc Dave Capon Streetworks Manager Suffolk County Council
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ACT Notices, Directions & Restrictions
Traffic Management Act NRSWA ….1992 Co-ord Code 2 nd Ed ….2001 Co-ord Code 3 rd Ed (Draft Only) … TMA Winsor Castle fire in ‘Annus Horribilis’ Foot and Mouth England wins Rugby World Cup George Bush Re-elected !!! Milestones in History
Traffic Management Act £££££ loss to economy through ‘Traffic Disruption’…
Traffic Management Act £££££ loss to economy through ‘Traffic Disruption’…
Traffic Management Act £££££ loss to economy through ‘Traffic Disruption’…
Traffic Management Act Background to the new Code Act is aimed at improving traffic flows Government recognise that other effects eg: parked vehicles/obstructions, incidents & events do cause disruption Network Management Guidance now defines “total network management” Statistically approx % disruption is due to streetworks and roadworks > 70% due to traffic volume & incidents
Traffic Management Act Background to the new Code NRSWA served us well Co-ordination and Notice Administration not the most efficient area Co-ordination Code 3 rd Edition “draft” tried to resolve many of the problems - Improved Guidance on TS designation - Greater advance Notice periods - Cancellation of Notices where no work to proceed - Clarification of Appendix “E” rules Never published – overtaken by TMA – many ideas taken forward into TMA.
Traffic Management Act Act is in 7 parts Part 1: Traffic Officers Part 2: Network Management by local traffic authorities Part 3: Permit schemes Part 4: Streetworks Part 5: Highways & Roads Part 6: Civil enforcement of traffic conventions Part 7: Miscellaneous & general
Traffic Management Act DRAFT Code of Practice - Volume I : Permit and Notice Procedures -Volume II : Operations and Guidance
Traffic Management Act Part 4: Streetworks New “Notice” rules Concept of “Incursion” “Registerable Activities” S56 - Timing of Works S56A – Directions as to Placing of Apparatus S58 – Exclusions following substantial roadworks S58A – exclusions following substantial streetworks Traffic Sensitivity definitions All the above relate to both utility and highway works
Traffic Management Act Part 4: Streetworks New “Notice” rules Recognised that co-ordination is HA responsibility Difficult to achieve real co-ordination for majority of works in current regime Focus on most traffic disruptive work ie: former Major and Standard Works (Activities) Concept is to shift from “work type” to “duration” of street occupation “Incursion” concept created !
Traffic Management Act Part 4: Streetworks “Incursion” “Incursion”…. Includes; –work in carriageway, including plant and vehicles –diversion of pedestrians, cyclists etc into carriageway –storage of materials on carriageway –Parking outside site boundary in non-designated parking place ( eg: Bus Lanes/Yellow Line/No Loading prohibitions)
Traffic Management Act Part 4: Streetworks “Registerable Activities” Street/highway works now classified as Activities… An “Activity” …. “Has the potential to cause delay or disruption” All Activities will be Registerable except; Works not breaking up the street, and either –Not opening or creating an incursion into a carriageway of TS street during a TS period –not involving vehicle halting on carriageway (in non-legitimate parking place) for >10 mins in 1 hour & 60 minutes in 1 day NOTE: New rule may encompass many activities not currently monitored eg: Water Industry : Sewer inspection/cleaning/valving/ flushing could be affected –HAs need to recognise that this rule will apply equally to their activities
Traffic Management Act Overhaul of existing classifications to reflect likely impact of activities –Programmed activities –Major activities –Standard activities –Minor activities –Immediate activities Classification of Activities
Traffic Management Act Programmed activities –Activities which have been identified specifically in an organisation’s annual operating programme or which, if not, are normally planned or known about at least 6 months in advance of the proposed start date. Major activities –Where there is incursion into the carriageway and where the planned duration is more than 10 days. –Where a temporary traffic order is required under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
Traffic Management Act Standard activities –Activities where there is incursion into carriageway with planned duration of 10 days or less (two number duration categories). Minor activities –Activities which involve no incursion into the carriageway. Immediate activities –Emergency street works –Urgent street works –Highway authority work of equivalent emergency/ urgency
Traffic Management Act Activity classifications Street characteristics Category 0-2 & traffic sensitive Category 3 and 4: non traffic sensitive S54S55/57s54S55/57 Programmed 6 months20 days6 months20 days Major 3 months20 days3 months20 days Standard 4 to 10 days 2 months20 days- Standard <4 days -20 days-10 days Minor -3 days- Immediate -2 hours after -
Traffic Management Act New Notice RulesSo……… If any part of a works cause “incursion” into a carriageway the notice periods are much more restrictive ! eg: In a Class 3 / 4 road …a 3 day duration activity requires 10 days !! In a Class 3 / 4 road a 12 day duration activity requires 3 months advance notice (S54) and 20 days (S55) notice In ANY road “Programmed” activity require 6 months advance notice (S54) and 20 days (S55) notice Class 1 & 2, and Traffic Sensitive Streets generally have longer lead-in times
Need to be much improved at advance planning of works Need to communicate early with HA in the planning stage…as well as during ongoing works Stick to the definitions ! Remember,……FPN’s are lurking to catch any non-compliance Communication ! Communication ! Communication ! Traffic Management Act New Notice Rules
Traffic Management Act TRAFFIC SENSITIVE PROCESS Authority Gives Notice (containing ASD and Deadline for comments ) to: Every undertaker working or intending to work in the area Any local authority in whose area the street is situated Emergency Services PTE’s and Transport Authorities in the Area Authority must carefully consider objections
Traffic Management Act TRAFFIC SENSITIVE RULES Major Areas of Change. Congestion Charging is in Place Street carries more than 8 buses per hour Designated for Pre-Salting On a Tourist Route Is an A or B Road
Traffic Management Act REGISTERS Electronic System GIS Technology 2008 IMPORTANT Public Accessible Web-Site Retrieved by USRN or Street Descriptor XML Schema
Traffic Management Act New Notice Rules S74 Durations / Revisions / Works Closing rules MUST STILL BE FOLLOWED - S74 charging rules amended ! Notice Cancellation - Now includes detailed advice that notices MUST BE CANCELLED where no works are to proceed. Failure to do so may result in a FIXED PENALTY NOTICE
Traffic Management Act New Notice Rules - Registration Completion of Reinstatement - Removes need for S70(3) Notice - Will now have 10 days to submit Registration details…BUT MORE DETAIL REQUIRED Site Polygon ( from summer 2008) names of accredited supervisors and operatives who carried out the work date(s) of occupation of the site reinstatement construction details weather conditions at the time the wearing course laid depth of apparatus start date of guarantee period actual inspection units number
Traffic Management Act Power to Direct Section 56 – Timing of Works –Ability to direct date as well as time of day - Jan’ 2005 –Directing works which have started - still to come !
Traffic Management Act Power to direct S56A - Directions as to Placing of Apparatus - HA can ask utility to place proposed new apparatus in an alternative street if traffic disruption can be proved to be reduced - Utility cannot be forced to use the “alternative street”, but can be denied from using original choice ( Level 5 fine for ignoring the direction)
Traffic Management Act Power to restrict S58 - Exclusions following substantial roadworks - Current 12 month exclusion period now amended to “Prescribed Period” in Regulations….Code of Practice includes scale up to 5 years ! S58A - new clause to also allow exclusion following “substantial streetworks” by a utility (6 months to 1 year)
Traffic Management Act Power to restrict Restrictions – S58 and S58A Previously 1 year restriction – now ranked by impact - Newly constructed roads 5 Years - Reconstructed roads5 Years - Resurfaced roads3 Years - Substantial Streetworks (S58A) 1 Year ( 6 Month in Type 3 / 4) Exemptions for IMMEDIATE WORKS HA Consent for CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS
Traffic Management Act Volume II : Operations & Guidance Includes general guidance for co-ordination, works at railway level crossings etc New concept area …. “Assessing the Impact of Activities” Formula for …..”Disruption Effect Score”…based on width of carriageway and width of works to calculate potential disruption. THIS MAY BE USED TO DECIDE WHETHER TO ISSUE S56 “TIMINGS” OR NOT
Traffic Management Act Summary So, …..Streetworks - Several elements – some significant effects Major changes to “notice” rules Notice Periods – longer advance notice (Permits in a Permit Scheme area) New concept of “Incursion” into carriageway New Classification of “Activities” S56 …Direct of both “day” and “time of day” S56A…. Direct (Deny) routes for apparatus S58…. Restrict access after Substantial Roadworks… 3 to 5 years ! S58A…. Restrict access after Substantial Streetworks …. Up to 1 year S70(3) …End of Day Notice gone – but more detail required on “Registration”
Traffic Management Act
COMMUNICATION !