Network Management Plan
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Network Management Plan Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Future challenges ............................................................................................................................ 2 2.1 Best Use of our Transport Networks....................................................................................... 2 2.2 Population growth and congestion ......................................................................................... 2 2.3 Climate Change ....................................................................................................................... 3 2.4 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 3 3. An Introduction to Newcastle’s Highway Network ......................................................................... 4 3.1 The City of Newcastle ............................................................................................................. 4 3.2 Road, Rail and Air .................................................................................................................... 4 3.3 Newcastle in the future .......................................................................................................... 4 4. The Legal Framework ...................................................................................................................... 5 4.1 Traffic Management Duty ....................................................................................................... 5 4.2 Network Management Duty ................................................................................................... 6 5. Aims and objectives ....................................................................................................................... 7 5.1 Specific Objectives .................................................................................................................. 8 5.1.1 Asset Management ............................................................................................................. 8 5.1.2 The Environment..................................................................................................................... 9 5.1.3 Safety .................................................................................................................................... 9 6. The local policy framework ............................................................................................................ 10 6.1 North East Combined Transport Authority and Local Bodies ............................................... 10 6.2 Local Transport Plan (LTP3) ................................................................................................... 10 6.3 North East Regional Traffic Managers Group ....................................................................... 10 6.4 Arrangements with Highways England ................................................................................. 11 6.5 North of England Highway Authorities and Utility Committee ............................................ 11 6.6 Urban Traffic Management Control (UTMC) ........................................................................ 12 6.7 Other Local Groups ............................................................................................................... 12 7. Network Management in Newcastle ............................................................................................. 14 7.1 Understanding the network .................................................................................................. 14 7.1.1 The Highway Asset ................................................................................................................ 14 7.1.2 Other Transport Assets........................................................................................................... 14 7.1.3 The Road Hierarchy ............................................................................................................... 15 7.1.4 Managing the network ........................................................................................................... 15 7.2 Specific Policies ..................................................................................................................... 15 7.2.1 Winter Maintenance .............................................................................................................. 16 7.2.2 Planned Maintenance ............................................................................................................ 16 7.2.3 Streetworks .......................................................................................................................... 16 7.2.4 UTMC .................................................................................................................................. 16 7.2.5 Traffic Sensitive Streets .......................................................................................................... 16 7.2.6 Events ................................................................................................................................. 17 7.3 Improving understanding of our network ............................................................................ 18 7.3.1 Highway Control Assistants ..................................................................................................... 18 8. Improving the Network .................................................................................................................. 19 8.1 Traffic Management Schemes .............................................................................................. 19 8.1.1 Road Safety Schemes ............................................................................................................. 19 8.1.2 Traffic Management schemes ................................................................................................. 19 8.1.3 School Travel Plan schemes .................................................................................................... 20 8.2 Highway Maintenance Schemes ........................................................................................... 20 9. The way forward and performance monitoring ............................................................................. 22 Appendix A Improvement Action Plan ................................................................................................... 23 Appendix B Traffic Sensitive Streets ....................................................................................................... 26 Appendix C National legislation .............................................................................................................. 47 Appendix D Contacts.............................................................................................................................. 49 1. Introduction Safe and dependable transport is essential to our society and economy. The Government’s 2011 White Paper, Creating Growth Cutting Carbon emphasises the importance of the active and co- ordinated management of the road network. Government has introduced, and continues to introduce a variety of policies to achieve this, making road transport more efficient and effective, keeping it safe and reducing greenhouse gas and other emissions. Car ownership and use is continuing to grow in the UK. As a result traffic congestion is an increasing problem in most urban areas. Congestion threatens the economic well- being of many towns and cities, as well as affecting the quality of life of those who live and work there. Newcastle City Council is the local highway, traffic and street authority for the city of Newcastle. We are responsible for managing the traffic using our road network. By effectively managing the transport system we can provide more consistent, predictable and reliable journeys for the movement of people and goods. This helps to tackle congestion and environmental pollution and improves safety and accessibility for all road users. Managing the road network so that we get the most from it is vital to the future prosperity of Newcastle. The North East Independent Economic Review concluded that our transport system has a key role to play in helping local economic prosperity and growth. Given the impact of congestion on the economy a strategic approach is required, one which considers the causes of congestion, the impacts, the challenges and the possible solutions. This Network Management Plan (NMP) is a key document in helping us to achieve this. It sets out our strategic approach to managing and developing the highway network. Its implementation will help to ensure that we have a transport system that is fit-for-purpose both now and in the future, helping us to deliver both national and local objectives. Our NMP sets out how we will fulfil our network management duty. It explores: the challenges that we face the needs of road users, highway authorities and utility companies the causes of congestion the impacts of congestion (both now and in the future) policies to deal with congestion the transport services that we deliver how Newcastle’s transport system (road and bus network) will be managed in order to help tackle congestion what we can do to address congestion 1 | P a g e 2. Future challenges The