A GUIDE TO THE OPERATION OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IN THE COUNTY OF HAMPSHIRE

1. INTRODUCTION

The Agency arrangements with District Councils in Hampshire for the devolution of certain highway functions from the County - as the Highway Authority for Hampshire (except for motorways and trunk roads) - to the Districts have been revised.

These changes have promoted the preparation of this paper as a guide to the arrangements for dealing with traffic management matters in partnership between the District Councils and County Council where District Councils wish to take up this option. These arrangements are in accordance with the guidelines which have been in operation since 1988 for the "full" Agency Districts of Rushmoor, Havant, Gosport, Fareham and Eastleigh where the agency arrangements have covered the whole District.

2. DEFINITIONS

"Traffic Management" shall mean the carrying out of the functions for the control or regulation of the use of highways by traffic or pedestrians which are listed in Schedule 1.

"Traffic Regulation Order" shall mean any formal order made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 or any other enabling power for the purposes of traffic management.

"County Interest Roads" shall mean those roads within each District coloured red on the plan attached to each individual District Agency agreement.

"Relevant County Member" means the member (or members) of the County Council for the electoral division (or divisions) to which the proposal relates or for any adjoining or adjacent division within the District in which in the opinion of the District Engineer or the County Surveyor the proposal is likely to result in a significant change in the movement or character of traffic on any road.

"A significant traffic management measure" shall be any signing or physical alteration of the layout of a road which would have the effect of altering the existing movements of traffic or pedestrians or the ability of vehicles to obtain access to or park on any land (including any part of the highway) or any other measure on which in the opinion of the District Engineer it would be reasonable to make the appropriate consultations having regard to the intentions of those provisions.

3. OPERATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

All motorways and trunk roads are excluded from traffic management agency.

There are certain matters and certain roads within a District which are very important in the context of traffic management control policies and therefore these traffic management matters and these roads are "excluded" from the agency in that reference to and consultation with the County Surveyor must be carried out.

The traffic management matters which are to be referred to the County Surveyor on ALL ROADS are called RESERVED MATTERS and are listed in PART 2 of SCHEDULE NO. 1.

The roads upon which the County Surveyor is to be consulted on ALL traffic management matters are called COUNTY INTEREST ROADS and are shown on the plans accompanying the Agency Agreement for the District.

There are, therefore, some traffic management matters which are not "reserved matters" and which do not fall on "County Interest Roads" which the District can deal with without reference to the County except that all decisions and all work should be in accordance with the County and DTLR Policies, Guidelines, Regulations and General Directions. All these matters are set out in PART 1 OF SCHEDULE NO. 1.

4. CONSULTATIONS BY A DISTRICT WITH THE COUNTY SURVEYOR

Consultations with or referral to the County Surveyor will take place on all proposed Traffic Regulation Orders or other significant traffic management measures (see definitions) which:

A. Consist of or include any Reserved Matter

B. Relate to any road shown as a County Interest Road

C. While not on a County Interest Road will affect traffic on such a road or any road outside the District

D. Involve expenditure not in the budget

5. PROCEDURES

Promotion by a District Council

When a District Council is considering making a formal Traffic Regulation Order or propose to implement any other significant traffic management measure, which does not require an order, then the relevant County Member shall be consulted so his or her view can be taken into account and before advertisement.

If the District change the order, then prior to readvertisement/or advertisement (unless it is as a result of what the County Member requires) the County Member must be consulted again.

All consultations (see Section 4) with the County Surveyor are best carried out informally by regular meetings between staff and then formally by way of 14 DAY STOP NOTICE PROCEDURE, prior to advertisement.

The County Council can issue a STOP NOTICE against all consultations set out in Section 4 and the District Council must comply with such a direction. If the STOP NOTICE is given by the County Surveyor on behalf of the County Council then the District can request that the matter is reviewed by the Executive Member of the County Council.

The County Council can promote Traffic Regulation Orders and traffic management measures, within Districts after consultations.

SCHEDULE ONE

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Part 1 Matters which may be dealt with by the District Council without reference to the County Surveyor unless affecting "County Interest" roads or falling within Part 2.

The making, amendment or revocation of Orders for:-

Prohibition and restriction of waiting

One-way streets, prohibition of entry and left or right turns, or other specified movements

Temporary traffic orders for any purpose

Other traffic management measures not involving formal orders:-

Traffic Signs; Road Markings; Rumble Strips; Guard Rails; Level Crossing Control

Part 2 Reserved matters which are to be referred to the County Surveyor (applicable to ALL ROADS)

Pedestrian Crossings

Speed Limits

Lorry Controls (including parking restrictions)

Bus Lanes

Clearways

Bus Stops

Intelligent Traffic Systems including Traffic Signals

Road Closures (i.e. Prohibition of Driving orders or any procedures whereby the road will cease to be available as a vehicular highway) except temporary traffic orders

Road Humps Chicanes Pinch Points and Build Outs

Cycle Routes

On Street Parking where charges will be made

Any other measures for the control or regulation of traffic not specifically listed above or in Part 1.

NOTE: The District Council has certain powers in its own right which may be exercised with the consent of the Highway Authority, e.g. off-street car parks, pedestrianisation, street trading control. These fall outside this Agreement and relevant consents must be obtained from the County Council.

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

PROPOSED AGENCY FTE's (INCREASE OF 6.4 FTE's)

	Existing	Proposed	Additional
East Hants	-	42,623	42,623
Hart	-	60,579	60,579
Winchester	47,398	73,527	26,129
Test Valley	18,147	68,179	50,032
New Forest	25,406	83,451	58,045
Basingstoke	54,656 145,607	80,198 408,557	25,542 262,950

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