Devon County Council is a Permitting Authority and its scheme is designed to provide a way for the Street Authority to best deliver its network management duty (NMD), a statutory duty as defined by the Traffic Management Act 2004.
The NMD remains at the core of the authority’s operation which is to secure, as far as reasonably practicable, the expeditious movement of traffic on the network and facilitate the same on other neighbouring authority’s networks.
Street and road works are coordinated and managed on the network to mitigate, using best endeavours, disruption to the public and road users (New Roads & Street Works Act 1991). Specific conditions can be attached to permits to ensure potential disruption is considered by both utilities and the authority while undertaking activities to ensure parity. If the Authority considers more could be done it can impose conditions on the promoter.
When a promoter wishes to undertake works on Devon’s network an application must be made for a permit. Those carrying out works which are not statutory undertakers must apply for a licence. Coordination meetings are held biannually with utility companies as part of its duty to coordinate. This allows for forward programs of work to be shared between the authority and the utility companies allowing opportunities to promote collaboration.
In addition, biannual performance meetings are held with the six key utilities submitting the most permits to the authority. This provides transparency and allows the County Council to hold utilities to account on their performance compared to others to better manage the network, addressing key performance issues which create the most disruption on the network and any specific maters causing concern.
A ‘firm but fair’ approach is used in managing road space. Where it is feasible, activity is enabled rather than a preventative approach being adopted. Access to road space is a requisite feature in street works and, while scrutiny is applied, working cooperatively is the aim and promoters have a duty to cooperate with the authority in its endeavours. Geographically-based enforcement officers inspect and take appropriate action when required.
Through DCC’s Bus Service Improvement Plan and Enhanced Partnership Board, the Traffic Management Group work closely with internal and external colleagues to mitigate the impact of street works on public transport services. DCC also have representation on regional or national groups to ensure regular benchmarking with the activities of other highway authorities.
Current network activity
A number of works take place daily across the county, undertaken by numerous organisations. To help the public plan their journeys as well, as the Council to co-ordinate this activity in order to minimise disruption, a publicly available map of network activity is available via one.network.
It is free to sign-up to and also provides information on the highway networks (M5, A30, A35, A38 and A303) as well as neighbouring authorities.