Temporary traffic management

Any person or organisation carrying out work or other activities on Council roads is required to prepare and submit to Council a traffic management plan.

A Temporary Traffic Management is the process or method of managing road users including vehicle and pedestrians through, around or past an activity on a road reserve safely with a minimum level of inconvenience. (The road reserve is defined as boundary to boundary).

A Traffic Management Plan is a document showing how an activity in the road will be carried out safely and efficiently. It must also must only be designed and prepared by a trained and qualified Site Traffic Management Supervisor. (STMS) refer to Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management.

The person nominated by the contractor in the Traffic Management Plan is to have the specific responsibility for managing traffic at the work site. The person must be trained to the level of temporary traffic management required for the road level.

The standards for temporary Traffic Management are set out in the NZTA Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management. These standards are compulsory for all those who want to do work on the road.

What if I want to work in the State Highway?

The DCC cannot approve TMPs on the NZTA network. The NZTA controls traffic management on the highway network.

This is the network of roads that are numbered SH1, SH88, SH86, and SH87 in the Dunedin area.  Check the NZTA website for more information.

We suggest the use of Mobile Road to find Route Position (RPs) and Annual Average Daily Traffic counts.

What is a Traffic Management Plan?

A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) describes proposed works, design, set up and removal of any activity being carried out within the Road Reserve. It also includes the work programme, how public and contractor safety will be ensured, and any contingency planning etc.

Any work that alters the normal operating conditions of the road reserve requires a TMP. This includes but is not limited to:

• Excavating the carriageway/footpath/berm.
• Tree felling where there is the possibility that part of the tree may reach the road.
• Any activity that a machine will be operating from the road.
• Temporary road closure for an event.
• ​Obstruction of footpaths e.g. for sign writing, scaffolding, painting etc.

Generic Traffic Management Plans (GTMPs) allow repeated work to be done under a single traffic management plan.  These still require notification to the DCC when they are used.

When do you need a TMP?

A TMP is required whenever the normal operating conditions of the road will be changed.  Worksites on the road are covered by the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.  This means that those doing work must provide temporary traffic management, and the TMP must be carried out in accordance with the Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management.

TMPS are needed for work within the road, events in the road and also for work and events near the road which affect traffic.  Roads include footpaths, berms, cycle lanes as well as the carriageway.

There are companies who provide traffic management services and training.  These can be found by searching online.

Emergency works such as tree clearing, gas leaks, electricity, and telecommunications faults are urgent and prior approval from DCC is not required.  The work must be done following the process in the Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management  and DCC must be notified of the activity and approve the works retrospectively.

DCC staff audit temporary traffic management sites in Dunedin.  If there is no traffic management, or if it is inadequate or dangerous the DCC will require you cease work and/or issue a notice of non-conformance to the person or the company involved.

Who can create a TMP?

Traffic Management Plans must be created by someone with the relevant NZTA qualification – a Site Traffic Management Supervisor or Specialist (STMS), with a Temporary Traffic Management Planner (Practising) endorsement.

How to submit a TMP and get it approved:

TMPs are submitted to us as a request to use the road corridor, i.e a Corridor Access Request (CAR).

To submit your Corridor Access Request, use the link to Submitica below.

www.submitica.com

All TMPS, including site-specific, generic, generic notifications, event, non-excavation and retrospective TMPs must be submitted through Submitica.

We have prepared a detailed guide of the process to follow when submitting a TMP

How long does it take to get a TMP approved?

We need all relevant information, time to check that you have coordinated your site with other worksites and we also need time to check the details of the TMP in order for us to process your TMP.

The time limits set out below are from the Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management.  These vary according to the type of activity you are planning.

Generic Notifications:

• must be submitted no later than 1 working day prior to intended work, or as otherwise advised.
• must be submitted through Submitica as a Non-Excavation CAR

Site Specific TMPs:

• Must be submitted no later than 5 days prior to the work for minor works, or 15 days for major or project work

Event TMPs:

• Must be submitted no later than 21 days (note this is 30 days if a road closure is proposed)

Road closures:

• No later than 30 days prior to your activity,

Your application will be returned to you if it is:

• lacking in detail,
• is late
• does not include evidence of consultation with affected parties, such as bus services, property owners, refuse and recycling collection.
• does not include accurate route positions for temporary speed limits.  These are needed to be enforceable.

Road closures

If you are having an event requiring some or all of a road to be closed temporarily, you need to register your event at least 30 days prior (if not more) to the event date by contacting us.

Road closures also require an Application for activities on city streets form to be submitted with your TMP.

An advertisement will be placed in the Otago Daily Times two Saturdays prior to the event (at the event organisers cost – this will include a $25.00 admin fee along with the cost of the advertisement).

Event organisers are responsible for contacting every affected person within proposed road closure areas and getting their signature of approval. Should someone object to the proposed road closure then the event organiser must try to resolve the objection.

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