New Zealand Guide to Temporary Traffic Management update
The Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024 (GPS 2024) expects all Road Controlling Authorities (RCAs) to achieve better value for money for works on road networks, while improving the safety of our workers and road users.
To support these goals, RCAs are to progressively apply the New Zealand Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (NZGTTM) to any entity, contractor or utility operator electing to undertake works within our road corridor.
Applying the NZGTTM supports RCAs to meet their legal obligations outlined in the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and will help achieve greater efficiencies and minimise disruption for road users.
How to apply for a temporary road closure
Complete and send us this form to request a temporary road closure
for your event.
How to apply for a temporary road closure for a motor sport event
There are very specific steps you'll need to go through to apply for this type of temporary road closure.
To find out what you need to do, an application form and more information about our Road Closure for Motor Sport Events Policy,
see motor sport events.
Costs
See the 'corridor maintenance' and 'network development and maintenance' sections of our fees and charges schedule.
Traffic management plans and access requests
As noted above, any temporary road closure (whether a general closure or for a motor sport event) application requires a traffic management plan (TMP) which is included in the application form.
Corridor access requests and traffic management
plans are also needed whenever any activity on or near a road and/or its 'corridor' (or road reserve) might potentially affect the area concerned. Corridor access requests also involve some extra steps.
Corridor access requests are needed in situations when your activity or event might:
- compromise the safety of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians
- temporarily increase traffic volumes
- hamper traffic flow or access.
These activities include situations where a person or group is working on a road or road reserve; livestock are being moved across or along a road; or if an event is being held.
If you are doing any of the following activities, you need to ensure that you manage them carefully to ensure the safety of everyone in or travelling through the affected area. You'll also need to plan
ahead so you can minimise any delays affecting traffic flows and access through the area.
- Works activities might include major and minor excavations; digging up a berm for a project; installing a new vehicle entrance, access way or driveway; or laying water pipes.
- Events might include a fun run/walk, a street festival; or any event which is likely to attract unusually high volumes of traffic turning into, out of and around a venue where such events are not regularly held.
- Moving large numbers of livestock (or moving livestock regularly) not only requires a traffic management plan but will also require a permit. See managing livestock on roads below.
In some cases, these events and activities will require temporary traffic management plans.
Corridor access requests
Under the Local Government Act, Council needs to manage people working on the road, particularly utility network operators working within the road reserve. It's not just about the safety and access side of things as outlined above - it's also about
making sure any proposed works don't damage existing Council assets and infrastructure in the area; and that any features temporarily affected are reinstated properly once the works are done.
That is why anyone or any business planning to dig up part of the road/berm as part of a project, such as installing a new driveway or laying water pipes, must have an approved corridor access request as part of their application.
If you are
making this type of request, you will need to follow the steps below:
- Firstly, use our traffic management plan form to apply for corridor access request and to design your TMP.
- When you do this, also get in touch with our Road Openings Coordinator who can advise you through the extra steps required in this process. Phone our freephone 0800 492 452 or email us.
Traffic management plans (TMPs)
A traffic management plan (TMP) describes the design, implementation, maintenance and removal of an activity being carried out on a road itself, a footpath or a road reserve - and how road users will be managed by temporary traffic management measures. You
must programme and organise your event or work so that traffic flow is maintained at all times (unless a road closure has also been applied for and approved by Waikato District Council).
Get in touch with us to discuss what you need - we
can advise you on the traffic management plan (TMP) part of your application, whether its for a temporary road closure and/or a corridor access request. Talk to our Roading Opening Coordinator by calling our freephone 0800 492 452 or
email us.
Once you have prepared your application and its TMP using the appropriate form, you'll need to submit it to our network controls corridor engineers for approval. For more information, talk to one of the engineers or if you
are ready to submit your application, email it to us.
We have provided you with an 'example only' of a typical traffic management plan application form. You can use it as a handy
guide to get an idea of the types of information you might need to include in your own application.
See our forms page to
get a copy of our blank application forms for traffic management plans (use the general form for general road closure requests and for corridor access requests; use the motor sport form for temporary road closures associated with
motor sport events).
Who can prepare a TMP?
Any contractor with the relevant qualifications can prepare a TMP and implement temporary traffic management measures. Contractors with specialist skills in temporary
traffic management are trained in the requirements of the Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management.
A TMP can not be implemented without being approved by authorised staff of the Waikato District Council. Where the activity
or event affects a neighbouring road controlling authority, their approval is also required.
Managing livestock on roads
Wandering livestock can pose a significant hazard on our roads and they have caused fatal accidents in our district. Their potential impact on the safety of our rural roads is an important issue as population growth and the increasing popularity
of lifestyle blocks mean more people are using rural roads, often at faster speeds. Our Council and the Police work together to respond to livestock issues on our district's local roads as required.
- If you see livestock wandering on or obstructing the road (alive or dead), call us immediately to report it. Our animal control staff
are available 24 hours a day - call our freephone 0800 492 452.
- If the livestock incident is occurring on a state highway in the district, call the NZ Transport Agency freephone 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).
- Alternatively, for both local roads and state highways, you can call the Police on *555 from a mobile phone.
If you're moving livestock on or across our roads, you'll need to apply for a permit and provide a traffic management plan (see above) to ensure you do this safely.
Find out more about roads and livestock, including policies, bylaws and permits for moving stock; and installing stock underpasses.
Find out more about animals and stock control,
including responsibilities and liabilities when your stock stray onto the road or other people's private property - and what to do if stray stock come onto your own property.