Why Use Transport Planners at the Feasibility Stage?
Unfortunately, not all potential development sites have long road frontages or existing accesses that make accessing a site simple. In many cases, access frontage is limited or there are other issues that may have to be considered typically:-
- Bends in the road;
- Trees;
- Varying land gradients;
- Other housing or infrastructure; and
- Natural obstructions e.g. rivers and rocky outcrops
Transport planners or highway consultants will normally visit the site and consider all the above and other potential obstructions and advise the developer on suitable access locations. Planners like a challenge and have been known to successfully advise both developers and Highway Officers on how a site could be potentially accessed when on first inspection the Highway Officer has dismissed a site on grounds of inaccessibility.
How to Save Time and Money
By using a transport planner at the early feasibility stage, the developer can take professional advice on whether an access is possible, where it should be ideally located and if there are any constraints that may have a knock on effect in limiting the size of the development. This helps the developer make early decisions on site layout, and therefore minimise the time and cost associated in employing an architect to produce site layout plans that become void and need to be re-drawn following the planner’s advice.
What are the Basic Design Requirements?
The basic access requirements that transport planner will consider in order to satisfy the Highway Authority that an access is feasible are the following:-
- Visibility Splays, which are dependent on road speeds;
- 85th percentile speed Surveys, required for visibility splays and monitored over a 2 week period;
- Access Radii;
- Access road widths, varies depending on the number of residential units proposed; and
- Footway requirements
The planner will consider the above points to draw an access point (using CAD) and then pass these on to the architect who can then drop the access into their drawings. In the UK, it is good practice for the planner to consider the relevant requirements by also referring to the guidelines as set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB), Manual for Streets and (if available) the Local Highway Authorities Design Manual for residential roads.
What Next?
Once a developer has decided to develop their site and has an agreed point and form of access with which an architect has produced site layout plans, the transport planner can then look at the development proposals in more detail and consider the following:-
- Traffic surveys
- Assess and prepare Transport Statements or the more detailed Transportation Reports;
- Assess the impact of increased car usage on the local highway network and advise if existing highway infrastructure needs to be modified;
- Consider non-car accessibility, eg on-foot, by bicycle or bus;
- Prepare and write Travel Plans;
- Negotiate and liaise with the Local Highway Authority; and
- Help prepare S278 and S106 agreements.
At what stage should a Road Safety Audit be carried out?
In many instances, architects or other highway consultants may have already produced an access. In such a case, it may be necessary to get suitably trained professionals to carry out an independent road safety audit, looking at the safety of a junction through the eyes of all road users (drivers, pedestrians, cyclists etc). Though a junction can be designed to all relevant design standards, there are often design issues that may result in the increased potential for accidents to occur. Therefore many Highway Authorities now require an independent road safety audit to identify any safety issues. Learn more about our road safety audits.
To discuss any access feasibility issues regarding a scheme, please phone 015398 86015 or you can contact us via the website at Traffic Consultants.
