Traffic (Operational Phase)

 

Good Practice - Continued

Site Access

Leeds City Council has produced brief but helpful guidelines for the construction of access and egress points for landfill sites, which can also be applied to quarries. The factors which govern the acceptability of the point of access to a landfill site include:

• avoid residential access roads if possible;traffic flows on the public highway;
• sight lines along the public highway;
• width and gradient of the public highway;
• proximity of other road junctions and other nearby users.

Obtaining good site lines on the public highway is usually the main consideration, together with highway condition, construction and daily traffic rate. The visibility splays included in Leeds' guidelines are shown in Figure 1 and must ensure free flow of vehicles into and out of the site, with the minimum of impedance to traffic on the public highway.

Figure 1. Leeds City Council guidelines for access point design.

Gates should be located inside the entrance at the end of the kerb radius and should be secure against unauthorised entry.

The design of site access is also important for environmental protection in that it should prevent mud getting on to public roads. Wheel washes are considered elsewhere, but a well designed site access, with good internal site roads and a long concreted or asphalted access road which is regularly cleaned, will help considerably. Where a wheel cleaning facility is required, it must be positioned within a surfaced section of the road. Leeds City Council give Figure 2 as part of their guidelines.

Figure 2. Leeds City Council guidelines for positioning of a wheel cleaning facility.

Route Planning

If traffic is inevitable then the most appropriate route should be selected, avoiding sensitive locations such as residential areas or narrow lanes where possible. All drivers should be provided with something equivalent to a Control of Vehicle Movements Manual, which should set out the opening times, approved routes and the limits on the number of movements per day for each contract. The routes should be set out in a Section 106 L0166 or other legally binding agreement. One of the Case Studies C0014 gives an information sheet on route planning and environmental control prepared by Leicestershire County Council.

Convoying of lorries, especially when travelling along country lanes or built-up areas, should be avoided by ensuring that lorries are despatched from site separately.

Planning permission can be refused on the grounds that the resulting traffic would exceed the capacity of the road and create an unacceptable environmental deterioration. In considering a planning application, the highway authority will be consulted. If the additional traffic is considered likely to overload the road network, then the alternatives are to refuse planning permission or to seek a Section 106 agreement to fund road improvements, e.g. a roundabout or improved alignment.

Generally speaking highway authorities will probably not impose restrictions on the use of roads until they are convinced a problem exists. An exception will be where bridges might be unsafe for heavy loads. The Police would be consulted prior to a restriction order and, whilst they would probably support a safety or traffic based constraint, they might not support a restriction based upon purely environmental considerations.

A Section 106 agreement on routeing, although relevant to the development and often used, may prove difficult to enforce because of the problems of demonstrating non-compliance. A legally binding agreement offered by the operator might be a better method of controlling the problem, although even a willing operator may find difficulty in enforcing such requirements, particularly on sub-contractors, as the temptation is to take the shortest route (Photograph 10). The authorities who claim to be relatively successful in controlling traffic problems, receive sufficiently detailed complaints from the public that they are sure of their ground when dealing with operators.
		Photograph 10. Reminder of route controls.

 

Hours of Operation

Most sites have planning conditions restricting the hours when vehicles may leave or enter. It is in the operator's interest to ensure all drivers (their own and sub-contractors') are aware of these and understand that they must comply. This must be backed up by enforcement, with the contract being terminated for breach of condition. There may also be special conditions such as restrictions on movements at times when schools are starting or finishing. Even if these are not imposed, voluntary limitations by the operator of traffic during school journey times can be helpful.

Highway Authorities can limit the period of the day that certain classes of vehicles can use stretches of road, in order to preserve or enhance the amenities of an area. Such limits apply to all road-users not just mineral operators.

 

Driving with care

		There is of course a statutory obligation on all drivers to drive with care and caution. However, to maintain good public relations it may be necessary to introduce 'voluntary' limits on particular routes, e.g. a reduced speed limit (Photograph 11). The operator should have high expectations of their drivers, that they treat all customers, other road users, and pedestrians with courtesy and exercise care at all times. Drivers should also take care to ensure their vehicles do not run over or damage verges, kerbs and footpaths.
Photograph 11. Reminder of sheeting and speed controls.

 

Highway Authorities can limit the size (width, height and length) of vehicles permitted to use a particular road to avoid danger to the public or other traffic. It is the size of the vehicles not the weight which causes damage to verges, passing difficulties and hazards to other road users. There are some suggestions that a larger number of smaller vehicles would be more acceptable in some cases where the roads are narrow and perhaps winding as well. In such cases, an operator could consider the use of smaller vehicles, especially if the alternative may be the refusal of an application.

The care taken by the driver should now extend to the way they drive in relation to fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Driver development training has formed an important element of the ALSF transport activities funded through the Department for Transport. The SAFED (Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving) for Aggregates programme (by Simon Management for the Department for Transport) has involved training 5400 drivers and 150 instructors. SAFED for Aggregates is an example of an ALSF project which was made available and rolled out to the industry as a whole. The programme has achieved the following benefits:

• Average fuel savings of 10.0%;
• Average gear change reductions of 36.9%;
• Reduced CO2 emissions; and
• Increased defensive driving skills.

A Department for Transport project has provided bespoke reviews to some 340 Aggregates companies.

Other advice on reducing fuel consumption and therefore carbon emissions is provided for the freight industry in England via the Freight Best Practice Programme.L0372

Parking

During meal breaks and at night, lorries should be parked securely to ensure that they present no hazard or inconvenience to other road users or local residents. Operators could provide suitable overnight parking space away from sensitive neighbours and allowing loading during the evening to facilitate an early getaway. This has been found to reduce the early morning rush, and helps spread the traffic load.

 

Continued with Good Practice Continued page 2.

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