GUIDES / PLANNING

Do I need
traffic management?

If your works touch a road or footway, probably. Here is how to tell, and what level is likely.

Traffic management is needed whenever works change how a road or footway is used. The question is rarely whether you need it. It is what level, and what the highway authority will want to see before you start.

Three questions

Will anything occupy the highway? A skip, scaffold, hoarding, crane, MEWP, vehicle, excavation or materials on the carriageway, footway or verge. If yes, you need a licence or permit and a plan for people and traffic to get past.
Will traffic or pedestrians have to change what they do? Slow down, use one lane, wait at signals, cross elsewhere, or take a diversion. If yes, you need traffic management and almost certainly a permit, notice or TTRO.
Will the works be there for more than a few minutes? Short-duration works on quiet roads have lighter rules, but the rules still exist. Anything longer needs the full arrangement.

What level is likely

Footway onlyLightBarriers, signs and a protected pedestrian route. Permit or licence from the authority. Usually quick to arrange.

Lane or carriagewayMediumGive-and-take, priority working or temporary signals. Street works permit with a drawing. Lead times of days to weeks.

Road closureHeavyClosure, diversion and advance signing. TTRO plus permit. Typically 12 weeks’ notice.

What the authority expects

Whatever the level, the highway authority will usually expect a drawing showing the arrangement, an application made in the right system with enough notice, and a competent contractor to install and maintain it. Those three things are what Vanguard provides or coordinates.

When to ask

As early as you have a location and a rough date. Lead times are set by the authority, not by us, and the longest ones apply to the works people most often leave until last: closures and anything on a busy road.

PLANNING FAQS

Not
sure?

Describe the works and we will tell you what applies.
Speak to Vanguard.

I am only working on the footway. Do I still need traffic management?

Almost always. Pedestrians need a safe route past the works, and most authorities need a permit or licence for anything that occupies the footway. The arrangement can be simple, but it still needs planning.

The works are on private land next to the road. Does that count?

If vehicles or materials cross the footway, if plant stands on the highway, or if the works affect sightlines or pedestrians, the highway authority is likely to have an interest. Ask before assuming.

Can I just put some cones out?

Cones alone are rarely enough and, without a permit, can leave you liable. A short conversation with us is cheaper than an authority stopping the works.

Requirements vary by location and scope. Contact us to discuss the requirements for your project.

LET’S GET TO WORK

Your next project.
Our next priority.

Request Quote 0800 2740 122 hello@vanguardtraffic.co.uk24-hour emergency support is available every day for urgent traffic management requirements.