Traffic Management Plans

 What are Traffic Management Plans?

Traffic Management Plans, also known as TM Plans, Traffic Management Drawings and Traffic Management Schematics are the clear communication of diversion routes and other traffic management measures is a central principle of the legislation that governs street works, especially with the introduction of Permit Schemes.

Consequently, the Traffic Management module is an essential part of the toolkit for any permitting authority, underpinning coordination and cooperation across the street works industry.

Traffic control professionals will draw detailed traffic control plans that are used when applying for planning permission where development is located in a constrained section of the local highway network such as roads being subject to weight or height limits, or narrow carriageway widths, the Local Planning Authority will almost certainly require a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP).

The CTMP provides the Local Planning Authority and the Highway Authority with the security that the largest vehicles associated with the construction of the development can safely access the site and that the safe and efficient operation of the highway network will not be compromised by construction traffic. There are various companies that may also be involved when a Traffic Management Company is needed or after they have completed their works... Bricklayers in Kent are a company that work in the construction industry.

Creating and implementing traffic management plans require an enormous amount of time and effort for the key persons involved.

It heavily requires constant inspections to ensure that workers can complete road projects and construction works without affecting and causing trouble to road users.

It is important that inspections are conducted from the planning, installation, maintenance, and removal of the temporary devices in the conclusion of the project.

What is traffic management and why traffic management is important

Introduction into Traffic Management

There are many people who do not actually know what traffic management is and why traffic management is important for those working on the roads, for building contractors and for those who need some form of traffic management for events, TM Plans and things like traffic management equipment hire.

On average, every year, approximately 7 employees die due to accidents involving motors or mobile plant on construction sites. A further 93 are critically injured. 

The regulation says which you have to organise a traffic management plan so that automobiles and pedestrians the usage of traffic routes can move around safely. The routes need to be appropriate for the persons or motors the usage of them, in suitable positions and enough in range and size.

The term ‘cars’ includes cars, vans, lorries, low-loaders and mobile plant together with excavators, lift trucks and placement dumpers etc. The key message is: production of traffic management vehicle incidents can and have to be avoided by way of the effective control of transport operations at some stage in the development process.

Key issues in dealing with traffic management on site are:

• Keeping pedestrians and vehicles apart
• Minimising vehicle movements
• People on site
• Turning vehicles
• Visibility
• Signs and instructions

Each year within the construction industry, approximately ten people die as a result of being struck by vehicles on site. In addition, there are hundreds of preventable accidents and injuries.

Accidents occur from groundworks to finishing works and managers, workers, visitors to sites and members of the public can all be at risk.

Inadequate planning and control is the root cause of many construction vehicle accidents.

The majority of construction transport accidents result from the inadequate separation of pedestrians and vehicles.

This can usually be avoided by careful planning, particularly at the design stage, and by controlling vehicle operations during construction work.

The following actions will help keep pedestrians and vehicles apart:

• Entrances and exits - provide separate entry and exit gateways for pedestrians and vehicles;
• Walkways - provide firm, level, well-drained pedestrian walkways that take a direct route where possible;
• Crossings - where walkways cross roadways, provide a clearly signed and lit crossing point where drivers and pedestrians can see each other clearly;
• Visibility - make sure drivers driving out onto public roads can see both ways along the footway before they move on to it;
• Obstructions – do not block walkways so that pedestrians have to step onto the vehicle route; and
• Barriers - think about installing a barrier between the roadway and walkway.

With road usage volumes at their highest ever levels, the management of traffic flows both temporary and permanent requires careful planning to ensure the safety of drivers, cargo and pedestrians.

Whether you a running a small site with a handful of arrivals and departures based around working hours, or a major port with traffic movements 24 x7x365, a well thought out and carefully considered traffic management plan avoids disputes, maximises efficiency and can reduce congestion at peak hours.

A traffic management plan not only considers the site in question but can extend to the nearest major junctions, consider light sequencing and minimise the impact on neighbouring sites by simply seeking to understand how the local network acts.