FAQs
The Road Controlling Authorities (RCAs)
The principals that create projects
The contractors that deliver works
TTM companies who in some cases plan and manage TTM around work sites.
Risk-based TTM is the answer: The stated outcomes will only be delivered when TTM at every work site in Auckland is appropriate to the level of risk and location/road use. This not only includes how TTM is planned and set up but also includes how it is managed for the duration of the roadworks.
Shared legislative obligation: All four TTM players (the RCAs, the principals that create projects, the Contractors that deliver works, and TTM companies) share responsibilities for the safety of road workers and road users under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). AT, as the RCA, can lead, enable, and encourage the change to risk-based TTM but cannot assume other persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) responsibility for risk management within and around worksites.
The scale: There are up to 2,000 live worksites on Auckland’s roading network on any given day. It is impractical for AT to monitor all these sites. We need the industry partners responsible for the day-to-day management of worksites to share the responsibility.
Varying levels of incentive: Moving to risk-based TTM, in the absence of CoPTTM, means everyone in the industry needs to assume greater responsibility for assessing and managing risk at worksites. This would call for investment in risk management capabilities and systems by all relevant parties. For some in the industry, a change to risk-based TTM may not be commercially favourable. Both these factors mean, there are varying levels of incentive for the industry members to move to risk-based TTM.
Industry Transition: AT is playing a leadership role in the industry transition to risk-based TTM. We expect this to be a multiyear process. All relevant organisations need to understand their obligations under the risk-based approach, changing roles of others in the ecosystem, the skillset required, and the operating systems required.
Enabling AT: This workstream focuses on delivering/improving capabilities and systems that enable AT to better influence how TTM is set up and managed at individual worksites and better understand the impacts of roadworks both at a local and regional level to fulfil its obligations as a major PCBU in Auckland.
What is the TTM Transformation Programme?
Background
In the ‘Letter of Expectation for Statement of Intent for 2023 – 2026’, the Mayor set out an expectation that AT prioritise “delivering a better approach to traffic management”. TTM costs to the Council group, and the wider economic impact of disruptions caused by TTM to Auckland businesses, community groups, and the public were identified in this letter as specific areas for improvement. AT has established a formal multi-faceted work programme, named the TTM Transformation Programme, to deliver on these expectations.
National Context
The TTM system is made up of four key players:
Each of these parties plays a different but significant role in the planning, establishment, and management of TTM around worksites.
Key considerations
Auckland’s TTM Transformation programme is set up to find ways to minimise disruption around worksites without compromising safety and to facilitate cost-effective TTM solutions. In setting up the programme, we have considered the core strategy and other key contributing factors as listed below.
Programme Structure
The Programme is made up of two key workstreams:
CoPTTM is not broken, why change to the NZGTTM?
The current Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management (CoPTTM) has been in place for over 20 years, yet safety issues keep happening under it.
People continue to die and be seriously injured at TTM sites and this needs to change. Between 2017 and 2021, there were 43 fatal crashes and 287 serious injury crashes at road work sites with temporary speed limits. This is an increase on the previous 5-year period.
Within our industry, there’s a growing shift to a risk-based approach – it’s time for our national approach to temporary traffic management to reflect this and put the safety of our road workers and road users first.
Waka Kotahi’s new guidance aims to change the way we plan and manage people’s safety at TTM sites. The new guidance puts risk assessment and planning first. This is to make sure the TTM control types, design, and equipment used will keep people safe.
The NZGTTM has been designed to be consistent with WorkSafe’s new Good Practice Guideline: Keeping safe and healthy on the road and roadside(external link) to help organisations meet their legal obligations under HSWA.