Traffic Management Scotland
Traffic Management is there to make your journey safe and as rapid as possible. This article will give you an insight into the most frequently deployed traffic management systems, along with the reasons why you need a traffic management solution.
What is Traffic Management?
Traffic management is deployed on roads to provide safety and security for vehicles and pedestrians when navigating a disruption. These disruptions can include the following: road works, traffic congestion, diversions, accidents, tree removal, construction and community events. Or other causes of danger or disruption. By managing these in a safe and efficient manner, the risk of an accident is reduced.
Types of Traffic Management
Mobile Traffic Lights
Mobile traffic lights are short term solutions that are rapidly deployed. They are powered by mains, diesel generator or batteries.
Their lights are activated by: timers, movement detectors or manual controllers. These activations switch the lights through the red to green cycle and can be applied in multi-way scenarios. Various degrees of automation allows for different time based flows of transport to be accommodated, so bottlenecks are avoided.
Stop and Go Boards
Stop and Go boards are traditionally operated manually, but can also be automated. The signage boards have Go with a green background on one side, and Stop on a red background on its reverse. They are usually operated with one board at each point to be controlled. When they are manned the operators are in radio contact to ensure traffic flow.
Temporary Traffic Lights
A temporary traffic light system is used where a semi-permanent solution is required. These temporary traffic management systems are deployed in the same manner as a full traffic light installation, but they will be removed once they are no longer required. This may have a higher up-front cost, but it is more cost effective and durable over several months. These are typically used by utility companies and your local council.
Road Closure
Road closure is not a simple solution. Any road closure requires a lengthy legal procedure, which must be costed into the budget. The legal process is known as a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO). The TTRO may be applied for several hours of the day, from 22:00 to 06:00 for example, or for the whole day. Check how to obtain a TTRO from your local authority.
Rolling Road Closure
A rolling road closure is another form of TTRO where the restriction moves along the road affected. This is used to accommodate rolling street works such as white lining or verge maintenance. It can also be used for cycle races, parades and demonstrations. Check how to obtain a TTRO from your roads authority.
Traffic Convoy Systems
Traffic convoy systems are used where there is a high risk to road workers. In this case a work convoy vehicle is used to lead the traffic one way. It will then return with the opposite traffic flow.
Contraflow
In dual carriageways and motorways, traffic is divided by a central reservation. When one of the carriageways are closed, the traffic can be moved onto the other carriageway. This is called a contraflow. When a contraflow is used, a reduced speed limit is applied, with the lanes of traffic separated by cones or danger poles.
Contraflows can also be found where bus or cycle lanes flow the wrong way in one way streets.
Lane Closure
Lane closure is where one or more lanes of a motorway or dual carriageway are closed. This can be on a fixed, temporary or rolling basis. Normally, it is required for highway maintenance or repairs.
Give and Take
Give and take is where part of a highway is cordoned off, without active traffic management. This places the onus on drivers to pass when they believe it is clear ahead.
It is not suitable for high traffic areas or high speed areas where the limit is above 30mph. Also, it is only suitable when the drivers in both directions have a clear line of sight and the section of road is less than 50 metres.
Priority Working
Priority working is an advancement on Give and Take where the right of way is signed to one stream of traffic.
Diversion Route
When a road has to be closed or becomes unsuitable for a certain form of transport, then signage has to be applied to show the diversion route.
Reasons for traffic management
There are a number of reasons why a road traffic management plan should be deployed, some of which are not as obvious as you may think. You may also wish to consider who should be deploying the solution.
Safety
Traffic management ensures that the hazard the traffic poses to site workers, pedestrians and other road users is minimised.
Insurance
If you have not taken measures to protect the safety of workers, pedestrians and other road users, then you will have broken your insurance agreement, and the law.
Liability
Placing your traffic management system with a specialist sub-contractor will make certain that you are meeting all your legal and health and safety requirements. As well as giving you the peace of mind that your traffic management service has been planned and installed professionally.
Saving
Unless you are specialising in road works that require frequent use of traffic management systems, it is be far more cost effective to hire. Hiring also will provide coverage for breakdown of the system.
Schedule
Poorly managed traffic may well have an impact on the duration of a project. If you are sub-contracted, complaints about poor traffic flows may impede your future contract selection.
And finally
As you can see from the above, a traffic management system is more complicated than a couple of labourers on walkie-talkies with stop/go boards. They need to be scaled to fit the operation they have to manage. In many tenders these are not tightly specified, in others they will be defined in legal references and clauses. Consultation with a specialist contractor will always be a good starting point if you are not clear about the next step. They will give you access to all the information you require to determine which traffic management solution is right for you.
Traffic Management Scotland