Highways Agency
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New 'Chapter 8' gives clearer, updated advice to make road works safer
Updated guidelines for highways maintenance engineers and contractors to make temporary traffic management at road works safer and more effective have now been published.
Revisions to Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual have been taking place over the past two and a half years as the Highways Agency seeks to make road works safer and less stressful for both road users and road workers.
The previous version was published in June 2006 and the "continuous improvement project" commenced in November that year to look at areas where a requirement for improvements or clarification in the guidance had been identified by operatives working with the document on a day-to-day basis. The revised guidelines aim to increase safety and reduce congestion at road works.
Chapter 8 gives guidance on best practice for temporary signing and management of traffic on the highway. Updates include revisions to the requirements for signage for road users experiencing emergencies (such as vehicle breakdowns) in roadworks, part-time or short-term contra-flow permissions (where, subject to a risk assessment, single lane crossover may now be permitted, enabling part time or short term contra-flows to be operated), and expansions to the scope of the guidance (such as new sections on works near tramways).
The Highways Agency has worked closely with the Department for
Transport, the Health and Safety Executive, CSS, breakdown
recovery services and key members of the road traffic management
industry in revising Chapter 8.
These updates will be promoted
at Traffex, a three day industry event which will be held on 21,22
& 23 April at the NEC, Birmingham where the Agency has an
exhibition stand. There will be a presentation about the new
document in one of the spotlight theatres on 21 April.
The
guidance is recommended to everyone associated with temporary
traffic management for construction, maintenance or utility work,
and has now been updated to ensure its continuing applicability in
today's traffic conditions.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. It manages, maintains and improves England's motorways and trunk roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.
2. Copies of Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual - "Traffic Safety Measures and Signs for Road Works and Temporary Situations" has now been released:
* Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 8: Part 1: Design £70.00 ISBN 978 0 11 553051 7
* Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 8: Part 2: Operations £50.00 ISBN 978 0 11 553052 4
Published by TSO (The Stationery Office) and available from http://www.tsoshop.co.uk
Mail, Telephone, Fax & E-mail
TSO
PO Box 29,
Norwich, NR3 1GN
General enquiries: 0870 600 5522
Fax
orders: 0870 600 5533
E-mail:
customer.services@tso.co.uk
Text phone 0870 240 3701
It will also be available to download, free of charge, via the
DfT website - http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/tsmchap8part1.pdf ,
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/tsmchap8part2.pdf ,
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/keychanges.pdf
3. Real-time traffic information for England's motorways and major A roads is now available:
- From our new Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at http://www.trafficradio.org.uk To tune into the DAB service, simply press the 'scan' button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach 'Traffic Radio'.
- On the internet at http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo
- By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; mobile calls usually cost more).
4. Before using a mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it's safe and legal before you call.
5. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website http://www.highways.gov.uk or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time. (Calls to 0845 numbers cost no more than 3p/min from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary).
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Issued by the Highways Agency Press Office.
