Gateshead Network Management Plan

5.1 Gateshead Council has extensive highway assets which include:

• 943 km of roads
• 1123 km of footways
• 2057 km of public rights of way
• Highway drainage gullies 
• Vehicle restraint systems (Safety fencing)
• Pedestrian guardrail
• Accessible crossings 
• 164 bridges/ culverts 

5.2 In addition to the Council maintained network, transport provision by other bodies has an impact on the management of the network such as:

• Motorways have a national significance,  and are the responsibility of National Highways (formerly Highways England) 
• Tyne and Wear metro rapid transit system
• Regionally significant bus stations at Gateshead town centre and Heworth 
• Rail stations toward Cumbria.
• Interface with Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, Northumberland, South Tyneside road networks

5.3 The historical development of the road network means that the volume of traffic on any section is closely linked to the traffic capacity of that section. When the traffic volume exceed capacity, congestion starts to build up, increasing journey times and worsening air quality. Controlling, and preferably reducing this congestion is a major part of managing the network.

5.4  The legal framework that defines the network management duty has been outlined earlier in the plan and establishes the Network Manager as the responsible officer within the Council. On a day-to-day basis, elements of the network are under the control or influence of a number of Council functions and co-ordination of these is essential. 

5.5 Winter maintenance is managed via data from the Met Office to the current and neighbouring authorities to forecast the requirement for Winter Maintenance intervention.

5.6 The Council also produces an annual planned maintenance programme for work across the network. 

5.7 In compliance with the New Roads and Street Works Act, the Council maintains an electronic register of street works, whether carried out by the Council, Utility Companies or other Contractors. This information is published through the roadworks.org website maintained by Elgin on a nationwide basis.

5.8 The Urban Traffic Management and Control Centre covers the five districts of Tyne and Wear. It collects data from a range of electronic measuring systems on the highway including CCTV, number plate recognition systems and traffic signals. This data is fed into a single database making the monitoring of the whole network feasible. UTMC can also intervene in some areas by altering traffic signal timings and altering relevant agencies and the publishing of incidents through contacts with local media.

5.9 Some roads and streets in the borough play a key role in the free movement of traffic and restriction or closure of any of these can have a significant adverse effect on traffic flows. Although usually referred to as Traffic Sensitive Streets they include three groupings:

• Protected street (where no apparatus can be placed)
• Streets with special engineering difficulties (which require additional careful consultation, planning and execution of works)
• Traffic sensitive streets (our most vulnerable routes, which are susceptible to high levels of disruption, either at all times or during defined periods). 
• Our current register is included in Appendix B.

5.10 Gateshead is a vibrant borough which seeks to encourage both small community events or large events such as concerts and the Great North Run. The Council continues to take the view that for an event to be a successful one it must first and foremost be safe. It is essential that organisers give a proposed event suitable notice which are set out in various other Council policies. The following list gives an idea of the types of events to which this applies:

• Fun runs
• Charity walks
• Festivals, music or otherwise
• sporting events 
• Concerts
• Shows and fetes
• Motor sports
• Abseiling from the Tyne bridge
• Zip Wire from the Tyne Bridge; and the Baltic
• Fireworks displays
• Street parties

5.11 Large scale events in particular can increase flows of traffic which may or may not coincide with routine peak time volumes. The Network Management Duty requires the Council to co-ordinate special events that will cause disruption to traffic. The Council will co-ordinate these events and work with external agencies such as the Police to ensure that conflicts between street works and events are minimised. Council departments and external organisations work together so that operation of the network at any particular time across the whole authority area can be seen and planned in collaboration with adjacent authorities. The Council works closely with event organisers and other Stakeholders to co-ordinate events and minimise disruption to traffic, businesses and residents.

5.12 Some events will require relevant licenses issued by the Council and closure or restrictions on the highway network may require the execution of a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order. Such events likely to require a TTRO will result in the event organisers having to give the network manager a minimum of 12 weeks' notice.