Overview
Foreword
Lincolnshire County Council Traffic Sensitive Street (TSS) review has been conducted in line with the requirements of the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) 1991 (Section 64), NRSWA 1991 code of practice (Section 5.4) and the Geo-place Traffic Sensitive Streets Guidance Notes 2.0 (2023).
Introduction
All Local Highway Authorities are required to undertake a periodic review of traffic sensitive streets within their area to ensure it is relevant for current day usage. Local Highway Authorities are required to review current traffic sensitive streets in line with the 2023 changes, as per the Code of practice for the co-ordination of street and road works (March 2023).
Lincolnshire County Council (the Council) carried out a previous traffic sensitive street review in January 2022. The Council's ability to provide reliable journey times on the highway network is an important factor for road users and has a wider impact on the economy of Lincolnshire as a whole.
A variety of factors continue to impact traffic flows, congestion, and demand on the highway network. These include:
- general traffic growth and increased network demand
- developments of housing estates, business or retail parks, student accommodation
- road infrastructure improvements
- the fast-moving demand for home shopping deliveries
The Council has considered the rapid traffic growth, changes to the road network and the need for greater clarity and consistency in application. The Council has also considered the impacts of COVID-19 and traffic flow returning to its normal levels. The proposed changes are outlined within this document.
The ability to achieve road user satisfaction whilst getting works completed is an important outcome for both the Council and statutory undertakers (for example utility companies and others).
Under NRSWA 1991 (Section 59 and 60) The Council has a duty to coordinate works on the highway network and those working within it have a duty to co-operate in this process. The Traffic Management Act 2004 and Lincolnshire Permit Scheme (LiPS) objectives for the Council include increasing the efficient running of the highway network by minimising the disruption and inconvenience caused by activities on the highway.
The Council has a successful and constructive relationship with statutory undertakers in Lincolnshire. This proposal considers the removal of tourism route and winter gritting route as designation of traffic sensitivity.
Whilst the designation of a street as traffic sensitive does not prevent works, it helps to ensure the improved regulation of works in the busiest areas of the network. This ensures both the Council and statutory undertakers have sight of the appropriate designations to highlight where a street has high traffic flow and therefore can consider implementing mitigation measures which may include:
- working outside of traffic sensitive times
- using innovative technology, such as Intelligent or Auto-Green temporary traffic signals, to alleviate queues where temporary signals are needed
- changing working method to enable work to take place without need to incur on the carriageway, for example, directional drilling
- manually controlling traffic signals to alleviate queues
- use of advanced signing prior to works starting works to notify road users of delays
Outline of existing and proposed traffic sensitive streets
Outline of proposals:
- to remove the traffic sensitive designation of 46 USRNs (currently 781 to 735)
- of the proposed additional streets, 69% of these are in a rural area
- no new traffic sensitive designations are proposed
- a countywide map has been provided to clearly indicate the proposals
The Authority Additional Street Data (ASD) report for The Council provided by GeoPlace (latest version April 2023) has determined 14,554 USRNs with a carriageway link associated to them. 5.4% are currently traffic sensitive.
It is proposed that the percentage of traffic sensitive streets within the County is decreased to 5%, as shown below:
Current:
- Whole USRN: 550
- Part USRN: 231
- Total: 781
Proposed:
- Whole USRN: 527
- Part USRN: 208
- Total: 735
- Removed: 46
Total number of USRNs: 14554
Current USRN TSS %: 5.37%
Proposed USRN TSS %: 5.05%
Proposed change: -0.32%
Designation criteria
This review has been undertaken in accordance with the criteria for designation under section 5.4.2 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 Code of Practice and the GeoPlace Traffic Sensitive Streets Guidance Notes 2.0 (April 2023) as follows:
| Designation criteria | Data sources |
|---|---|
| Designation criteria: The street is one on which, at any time, the street authority estimates traffic flow to be greater than 500 vehicles per hour, per lane of carriageway, excluding bus or cycle lanes | Data sources: Dft Traffic Data (where hourly rate is used where available. Otherwise, hourly flow is factored from AADT) Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) Traffic Data |
| Designation criteria: The street is a single carriageway two-way road, the carriageway of which is less than 6.5 metres wide, having a total traffic flow in both directions of not less than 600 vehicles per hour | Data sources: Dft Traffic Data (where hourly rate is used where available. Otherwise, hourly flow is factored from AADT) LRSP Traffic Data |
| Designation criteria: Traffic flow contains more than 25% Heavy commercial vehicles | Data sources: Where disaggregated HGV flow is available, this is calculated. Otherwise, criteria are not calculated, as HGV flow will generally be less than 25% |
| Designation criteria: The street carries in both directions more than eight buses per hour | Data sources: Review of council data supplied by Lincolnshire County Council Transport Services |
| Designation criteria: The street is within 100 metres of a critical signalised junction, gyratory or roundabout system | Data sources: Local knowledge |
| Designation criteria: The street, or that part of the street that, has a pedestrian flow rate in both directions at any time, of at least 1,300 persons per hour, per metre width of footway | Data sources: Local knowledge |
Methodology
The Council has taken a pragmatic approach to the review, in line with the guidance and proposed to keep the previous nine designations currently in use. This includes where designations were in place for seasonal tourism purposes only. Traffic data has been assessed to show these streets meet criteria (generally A or B above), but it is generally accepted that some streets have seasonal peaks. Therefore, the Council proposes to keep the seasonal designation for these, avoiding a more stringent designation being placed.
The designations proposed are as follows:
| Designation | Reason if critera to designate is met |
|---|---|
| Designation: 7am to 9am, 3.30pm to 6pm Monday to Friday | Reason if critera to designate is met: Commuter - Traffic flow is known to increase significantly during morning and evening peak |
| Designation: 7am to 6pm Monday to Saturday | Reason if critera to designate is met: Traffic flow is known to be high throughout the working week and on a Saturday |
| Designation: 7am to 6pm Monday to Sunday | Reason if critera to designate is met: Traffic flow is known to be high seven days a week |
| Designation: 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm Saturday | Reason if critera to designate is met: Traffic flow is known to be high throughout the working week and on a Saturday for a reduced period |
| Designation: 5am to 6pm Market Days | Reason if critera to designate is met: A known market operates in the vicinity |
| Designation: 7am to 8pm Friday to Monday (Easter to October) and all school holidays (Easter to October) | Reason if critera to designate is met: Traffic flow is known to increase during tourism periods and during school holidays within this period. The coverage of Friday to Monday from Easter to October accounts for the known change over days for holiday parks on the Lincolnshire coast |
| Designation: 7am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Saturday to Sunday | Reason if critera to designate is met: Traffic flow is known to be high throughout the working week and on a Saturday or Sunday for a reduced period |
| Designation: 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday | Reason if critera to designate is met: Traffic flow is known to be high throughout the working week and reduces out of hours and during a weekend |
| Designation: 7am to 10pm Monday to Sunday | Reason if critera to designate is met: Applied on very few USRNs where known flow is constant during these hours - for example the A46, Lincoln Bypass |
The Council holds its traffic sensitive street data within the National Street Gazetteer. A list of Unique Street Reference Numbers (USRNs) which held a designation of traffic sensitive, within the current designations, was produced. This was manually reviewed, drawing on local knowledge and known issues within the current designations.
Once the above baseline was completed, a sense check analysis was undertaken against the criteria within the guidance. USRNs for the sense check were reviewed and used in comparison with other USRNs which are known to carry similar traffic flow by local knowledge. The sense check manually reviewed several data sources which included traffic count data and complementary data.
These sources were:
| Data source | Survey period | Attributes |
|---|---|---|
| Data source: Department for Transport (DfT) count data | Survey period: Single day counts | Attributes: 369 sites in Lincolnshire Major and minor roads Disaggregated by vehicle type AADT and hourly flow |
| Data source: Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership data | Survey period: Twelve-hour counts, Permanent ATC sites, Temporary Automated Traffic Counts | Attributes: 21 sites Major and some minor roads AADT flow 12 hour daily count |
| Data source: Lincolnshire County Council - previous study data | Survey period: Twelve-hour counts, Permanent ATC sites, Temporary Automated Traffic Counts | Attributes: 30 sites Major and some minor roads AADT flow 12 hour daily count |
| Data source: Winter maintenance routes | Survey period: Not applicable | Attributes: Mapped to USRN |
| Data source: Local bus routes | Survey period: Not applicable | Attributes: Provided by Lincolnshire County Council Transport Services |
All traffic counts used in the review were undertaken within the last five years.
Where multiple count data was held, a selective approach was used to determine which count should be recorded and used based on numerous factors including:
- age of the data with preference for most recent where applicable
- month of survey with preference for more neutral months
- consistency checks with nearby counts on the same USRN, where available, as verification on which is more reliable if differences were established
The Department for Transport (DfT) count database is a collection of traffic counts undertaken on behalf of the DfT for single days on an annual basis at various locations on the major (motorways and A roads) and minor road network which is also available online. The data can be viewed on the Department for Transport road traffic statistics website, and 369 sites were available for Lincolnshire in aggregated and disaggregated format. This data was manually analysed against the criteria.
Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) collects traffic data from both manual counts and automated traffic counts (ATCs). This data was manually analysed against the criteria.
The Council identified its own record of counts which had been used for previous and ongoing studies within Lincolnshire. Data was collected in various methods, by various sources on behalf of the Council including Lincs Laboratory and the Council's professional services partner WSP. The data included:
- Lincs Lab – The Council in house survey team
- Greater Lincolnshire Traffic Model
- Lincoln Eastern Bypass (LEB)
- Boston Traffic Data Collection Report
- Gainsborough Transport and Development Study
- Spalding Traffic Survey
The counts associated with these studies had been undertaken in various months throughout the previous five years. Lincs Lab also maintained and collected data from a set of permanent ATC counters located on strategic links around the county. This data was manually analysed against the criteria.
Where raw count data was available, this was analysed manually. Annual Average Daily Flow (AADT) data was factored into an hourly rate.
Sense check analysis of the Council's traffic data has provided quantitative evidence to support criteria A, B, and D. Criteria C does not apply to any USRNs within the Lincolnshire County Council's area.
Service data for bus routes services operating within Lincolnshire have been obtained from the Council's public transport information portal and the local operator webpages. This looked to identify the service frequency of bus services. This provided evidence to support criteria E.
Identification of evidence to support criteria G and H has been undertaken manually using local knowledge of the Council's network.
Where USRNs were proposed as part of the initial considerations but did not meet the criteria when data was reviewed, these were removed from the final proposal.
Future review
In accordance with the current GeoPlace guidance, a future review will be undertaken in approximately three years to ensure it is still current.
Consultation
It is recommended guidance that an Authority should consult and notify the following stakeholders ahead of making a designation:
- every undertaker known to the street authority to be working in its area
- every undertaker that has given the authority notice of its intention to start working in its area
- every other local authority for the street to which the proposed designation relates
- Transport for London, where the street is in Greater London
- the chief officer of police, chief executive of fire and rescue authority, the chief executive of the National Health Service ambulance trust
- Passenger Transport Executives and other transport authorities, such as light rail operators
- any person who has submitted a written request to be given notice of a proposed designation. This may include other street authorities for example Highways England or Network Rail
- the occupiers of any property that fronts the street concerned
The Council will hold a 30-day consultation period which begins on 27 November 2023.
Consultation responses
Enquiries or objections can be raised with Lincolnshire County Council, and these will be given careful consideration and a response given. The Council then may either continue to make the designation, with or without modifications and will act reasonably in coming to a decision.
The response questions can be found in Appendix 1 of this document.
Enquiries or objections should be sent by email to: PermitConsultation@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Alternatively, please post to:
Ashley Behan
Street Works and Permitting Manager
Lincolnshire County Council
Lancaster House, 36 Orchard Street
Lincoln
LN1 1XX
Please note that any objections must be raised within 21 days of publication of this consultation document. Any objections raised outside of this period may not be considered.
Appendices
Appendix 1
Traffic sensitive street consultation questions
1. How are you responding to this consultation?
a. Works undertaker/ promoter
b. A neighbouring local authority
c. Emergency Services
d. Passenger transport authority
e. A Councillor (county, district, town, parish)
f. Lincolnshire resident
g. Representative of group/ organisation
If stakeholder option a, b, c, d, e, g selected please answer question 2 & 3
If stakeholder option f selected, please answer question 4
If stakeholder option e selected, please answer question 5 & 6
2. What is your job title?
3. Which organisation do you represent?
4. What is your postcode? Please provide the first four or five digits only.
5. What is your name?
6. Which division, ward, town, or parish do you represent?
All to answer:
7. Are there any streets on the proposed list that you object to being classified as traffic sensitive? If yes, please state why (objections will only be considered within the criteria of the guidance only).
8. Are there any streets not on the proposed list that you believe should be classified as traffic sensitive? If yes, please state why (proposals will only be considered within the criteria of the guidance only).
9. Is there anything else you would like to tell us regarding the proposed changes?
10. If you would like to be advised of the outcome of this consultation, could you please enter your email address?
Appendix 2
Traffic sensitive streets - table
Appendix 3
Traffic sensitive streets - map