§ Lord Vinsonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Health and Safety Executive has made a regulatory impact assessment of the policy of closing by-roads under repair to all traffic as a safety measure for those working on the road; and whether any such assessment included consideration of the length of the detour which motorists would need to make. [HL666]
120WA
§ Lord Davies of OldhamDecisions concerning maintenance works on local roads are the responsibility of the local highway authority. It must decide in each case the most appropriate way of carrying out any works, taking into account both the safety of the workforce and the safety of the public, for example, by providing safety clearances between working areas and traffic. Advice on a range of typical situations is provided in the Department'sTraffic Signs Manual, chapter eight. Local authorities should carry out risk assessments for each situation. Other factors, including the disruption to traffic and bus services that may be caused by road closures or traffic restrictions, can be taken into account as part of that assessment when considering options for carrying out works.
§ Lord Vinsonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a highway contractor has any legal authority to trap in their vehicles motorists who have inadvertently attempted to use a section of the highway closed to through traffic but still open for local access, when no repairs are being carried out at the time. [HL667]
§ Lord Davies of OldhamIf it is necessary for a road to be closed or traffic restricted in order to carry out road works safely, the traffic authority should make a traffic order under Section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to restrict or prohibit temporarily the use of the road. Under that section the authority must have regard to the existence of alternative routes suitable for the traffic which will be affected by the order. The enforcement of such orders is for the police.