Highway development and adoptions

When writing a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) the applicant should consider the following elements and provide the information as requested. This will make discharging the condition much simpler, faster and more efficient.

As will be seen from the details below, a CTMP need not be a lengthy document, however, clarity is key.

1. Site Plan

The applicant should provide a site plan at a true scale of 1:200 for smaller sites and 1:500 for larger sites showing the following areas with written dimensions:

• Proposed material storage area
• Proposed site offices
• Proposed car parking area
• Proposed manoeuvring space
• Proposed access location
• Proposed location of any gates
• Proposed location of any wheel washing facility or similar
• If the site is to be multi-phased then a plan for each phase should be provided

2. Movement and Control of Muck-away and Delivery Vehicles

The routes proposed for HCV access from the nearest A or B class road to be determined in conjunction with discussions with the LPA and LHA.

A condition survey of the route from the nearest A & B class road, the methodology of which is to be agreed with the LHA.

The proposed manoeuvring area for delivery/muck away vehicles, this should include a swept path analysis for the largest vehicle to deliver to the site to demonstrate that this can enter and leave in a forward gear.

If it is not possible to deliver on site or turn within the same, then details of how such deliveries will be controlled will need to be included, for example if delivering to the site while parked on the public highway how will pedestrian, cycle and motor vehicle traffic be controlled?

Delivery times. If the site is served off a main route though the county (and this does not necessarily need to be a A or B class road), or other areas of particular traffic sensitivity (a list of traffic sensitive streets can be requested from the Street Works Team at [email protected]) then delivery and muck away times will need to be restricted from 9:30am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

If the site is in the vicinity of a school then the applicant should ascertain from the school when their opening/closing times are and tailor the delivery/muck away movements to avoid these. The LHA would suggest that allowing at least 30 minutes either side of the open/closing times will generally ensure that the conflicts between school traffic and site traffic are kept to the minimum.

The LHA would seek that any access used by vehicles associated with the site be paved with a bound material (for at least 15m for larger sits) into the site from the boundary of the public highway (please note this is not generally the edge of carriageway), to reduce the likelihood of debris entering the public highway.

Any temporary gates used for site security must be set back at least 15m from the boundary of the public highway to enable a delivery/muck away vehicle to wait wholly off the public highway while the gates are opened and closed, or they must remain open throughout the entire working day.

Normally, access to the site should be 5m in width for smaller sites and 6.5m for larger sites, though it is recognised that this may not be practical for small scale developments of one or two units.

Where Public Rights of Way (PROW) will be impacted by the movement of construction vehicles (crossing or sharing access), the developer will be required to engage with the Council’s Definitive Map and Public Rights of Way Teams to include a strategy for accommodating the PROW during the works. This must be included within the CTMP. 

This may involve the temporary closure or diversion of a PROW, requiring a Traffic Regulation Order, or other suitable mitigation to safeguard users. The Definitive Map Team can be contacted at [email protected].

3. Contractor parking

If possible all parking associated with the proposed development should be off the public highway.

Within the area designated for contractor/staff parking each individual bay must be at least 2.5m x 5m, with a 6m reversing space. However, given the nature of the construction industry - that staff tend to arrive and leave site at approximately the same time - spaces may be doubled up. For example, 10m in length, 2.5 wide with a reversing space.

A list of number of operatives, staff and trades that will be on site at any one time should be provided to ascertain if the number of spaces being proposed will be acceptable.

If the site has no potential to provided off street car parking and or only limited numbers the applicant must provide details of how on street parking will be controlled.

4. Control of Dust, Mud and Debris

If it is likely that debris may be dragged on to the adopted public highway the applicant should provide details of how this will be prevented. If a wheel wash or similar is proposed, the details of how the slurry generated by this will be dealt with must be provided, please note it will not be acceptable to drain such slurry onto or over the public highway.

The LHA would seek that the developer include the following words in any submitted document: The adopted public highway within the vicinity of the site will be swept within an agreed time frame as and when reasonably requested by any officer of the LHA.

It is recognised that construction traffic occasionally damage the adopted public highway and the developer should include a note stating that such damage will be repaired in a timely manner at no expense to the Highway Authority.

The Construction Traffic Management Plan must relate solely to how the operation of the site will affect the adopted public highway, other information for example noise levels is not a highway matter and should not be included within the plan.