Traffic Management Act 2004 Chris Tunstall

Traffic Management Act 2004 Chris Tunstall Deputy Chief Executive (Environment and Change Management) Durham County Council Local Authorities-Side Chair, HAUC(UK). 1

Growth in Congestion • Growth of Urban congestion • 1989/90 – 1999/00 change in number of trips and distance by car by residents of: • Forecast is for traffic demand to grow. • Source DFT 2

Forecast Growth in Traffic • % Traffic Growth on Year 2000 – All vehicles. • Source DfT 3

Cost of Congestion • Total direct and indirect cost for utilities1 £3 billion/year • Direct costs1 £1 billion/year • Indirect costs1 (to business, local communities, disruption, congestion, waste and pollution etc). £2 billion/year • Split of utility/highway works2 75/25 • Disruption is caused by traffic volume (65%), traffic incidents (25%) and road works/street works (10%)3 • Potential utility indirect saving3 £1 billion/year • Total cost to business of delays4£20 billion/year • Potential cost of street works congestion5 £4.3 billion/year • Potential cost of street works congestion6C£1 billion/year • TRL (1992) – UK Water Industry Research Report 03/WM/12/3 • Halcrow Interim Report Section 74 • TRL – UK Water Industry Research ‘Minimising Street Works Disruption’ Summary July 2003 • CBI 5. Halcrow Report Section 74 2004. • NJUG Commissioned report by Prof Goodwin, February 2005. 4

Network Management Duty ~ Government has long realised that it cannot build its way out of the problem of more and more traffic on the roads with its associated congestion. ~ One solution is to place a Duty on Local Authorities and give them powers to reduce disruption which will lead to increased capacity. 5

Network Management Duty • ~ Network Management Duty: • “It is the duty of a local traffic authority to manage their road network with a view to achieving… the following objectives- • Securing the expeditious movement of traffic on the authority’s road network; and, • Facilitating the expeditious movement of traffic on road networks for which another authority is the traffic authority” 6

Network Management Duty ~ The TMA requires that Authorities proactively manage their road networks. ~ Road users include vehicle drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. ~ There is a Duty to co-ordinate ALL activities on the highway. ~ Make best use of the tools already available within NRSWA. 7

Network Management Duty 8

Network Management Duty ~ The Duty was implemented on the 4th January 2005. ~ The Government has published its guidance on fulfilling the Duty which is onerous. ~ Failure to meet the Duty will be backed up by Government intervention in the form of a Traffic Director. 15

Network Management Duty ~ Requirements:-. S20 A Traffic Manager be appointed. S22 Traffic Manager will be the focal point … championing the need … in all areas of work. S26 Identify current and future causes of congestion and disruption. 16

Network Management Duty ~ Requirements:-. S29 Need to gather information about planned works and events. S30 Identify trends in traffic growth and have policies in place to manage. S31 Facilitate the flow of traffic on other authorities networks. 17

Network Management Duty ~ Requirements:-. S40 Need to monitor the effectiveness of their processes. S45 Need to get it right. Secretary of State can intervene. S46 Intervention criteria to be publish by the SoS. This is currently being worked on. 18

Network Management Duty ~ Requirements:-. S56 It is a whole Authority approach not just highways department. S64 Views of residents, local businesses and road users are sought when deciding policies. S66 Regulate utilities works using stronger and additional powers. 19

Network Management Duty ~ Requirements:-. S67 Managing skips, scaffold and building materials. S68 Parity – authority’s own works to be treated the same and controlled as with utilities works. 20

Network Management Duty ~ Requirements:-. The DfT Network Management Duty Guidance provides a practical approach to performing the Duty. Annex A to the Guidance provides good practice advice on techniques and approach. 21

Traffic Management Act 2004 Chris Tunstall Deputy Chief Executive (Environment and Change Management) Durham County Council Local Authorities-Side Chair, HAUC(UK). 22

Traffic Management Act 2004 Chris Tunstall