Gateshead Network Management Plan

What are sensitive streets

Under New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (opens new window) (NRSWA) a street authority may designate streets (or parts) as Traffic Sensitive.

This allows highly trafficked highways to be identified to work promotors, so they can provide greater advanced warnings of activities.
The designation may apply to: 
    

• Carriageway only 
• Footway or pedestrian area only 
• Any part of a length of street
• Only certain times of day, days of the week, or days of the year

Why designate

The designation highlights that activities on these streets or junctions are likely to be particularly disruptive to road users but does not necessarily prevent occupation during time sensitive times.

Once a designation is made it applies to all works and activities taking place in the street.

Criteria for designation

Gateshead as the street Authority for Gateshead highways apart from the A1 and A194 (M) may designate certain streets (or parts) as traffic sensitive in one of the following ways:
I.    Agreement with statutory undertakers known to have apparatus in the street concerned 
II.    One or more of the following criteria is met:

• The street is one on which at any time the street authority estimate that traffic flow is greater than 500 vehicles per hour per lane of the carriageway, excluding bus or cycle lanes;    
• The street is a single carriageway two-way road, the carriageway of which is less than 6.5m wide, having a total traffic flow of not less than 600 vehicles per hour; (excluding bus or cycle lanes)
• The street falls within a congestion charge area;
• Traffic flow contains more than 25% heavy commercial vehicles (HCV's);
• The street carries in both directions more than eight buses per hour;
• The street is within 100 metres of a critical signalised junction gyratory or roundabout system
• The street, or that part of the street, that has a pedestrian flow rate at any time of at least 1300 persons per hour per metre width of footways,
• The street is on a tourist route or within an area where international, national or significant major events are taking place

Sensitive street designation allows

The designation of a street as sensitive enables the council to enact:

• Directions affecting when and where a Statutory Undertaker can carry out works on the street;
• Restrictions covering the time periods when works can and cannot take place;
• Challenges to the duration of works thought to be unreasonably prolonged; and
• Fixed penalties as a sanction if an Undertaker does not comply with the process correctly, starts work without giving the appropriate notice or where the works are prolonged unnecessarily

Sensitive street schedule criteria

A.   Estimated traffic flows greater than 500 vehicles per hour per lane (excluding bus and cycle lanes);
B.   Single carriageways less than 6.5m wide (excluding bus and cycle lanes) with a flow no less than 600 vehicles per hour;
C.   Streets is within a known congestion area;
D.  Traffic flow comprising 25% or more HGV's;
E.   Streets carrying buses in both directions, comprising more than eight buses per hour ;
F.   Is found on the pre-salting routes in the winter maintenance programme;
G.  Street is within 100m of Critical signalised or roundabout junction; 
H.  Street or part of has a pedestrian flow of 1300 persons per hour;
I.    Street is on a tourist route or within an area where international, national or significant major events are taking place.