The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRASWA) sets out the procedures and guidelines that all utility companies need to adhere to when placing or maintaining their equipment on the highway.  The Act and associated Codes of Practice cover the notification requirements, the safety to highway users and the standards required of the reinstatement of all excavations on the highway.

June 2008
National Highway Sector Scheme 12 (SS12)
Many enquiries from the website relate to Sector Scheme 12, often from confused people who either believe that this scheme replaces Streetworks qualifications or only applies to unrestricted roads throughout the UK.

Sector Schemes are part of quality management systems aimed at ensuring goods and services are delivered to a consistently high standard for clients.  There are several Sector Schemes including, road Marking, Street Lighting, Vehicle Safety Systems, to name a few.  On of the schemes is aimed at Temporary Traffic Management, this is referred to as Sector Scheme 12 and is split into parts that relate to road types as follows

12A/B - High speed motorways and dual carriageway roads.
12C    - Mobile lane closures on high speed motorways and dual carriageway roads.
12D    - Works on single carriageway roads.

12D is split into several modules covering the different types of traffic control as defined in Chapter 8 or the Traffic Signs Manual, moving works, works requiring traffic control, convoy works, multi-phase traffic signals and works on dual carriageways restricted to 40mph or less.

The sector schemes are client lead through contract agreements in accordance with the manual of highway contract Documents, specifications for highway works and is aimed at highway authority works, not Streetworks for utility purposes.   Whilst not a mandatory requirement by any legal framework it is strongly advised that highway authorities ensure that their own employees and contractors used are occupationally competent to install, maintain and remove temporary traffic management.

Since 1992 highway authorities have used the Streetworks qualifications to ensure that employees are trained and assessed to a standard set out in the units available.  These units include 002 and 010 for operatives and supervisors and are not a legal requirement for highway works.   Highway authorities should be more insistent on SS12 qualifications for their own works relating solely to temporary traffic management, as they do with Vehicle Safety Fencing and Road Marking.

As a final note, SS12D is a superior qualification than Streetworks for temporary traffic management as it covers a more extensive set of works types likely to be encountered with assessment taking place over a period of time to ensure continuing competence.  the Sector Schemes should form an integral part of contracts for highway works.   The Awarding body for sector scheme qualifications is Lantra Awards.

Further information www.ukas.com www.lantra-awards.co.uk

March 2008
DfT has released their revised guidance on the use of temporary traffic lights.  This can be downloaded from click here

There have been comments made regarding this booklet in that for the price it does not go far enough to replace the original version.   Whilst it covers both 'type approved' signals there is much room for improvement.  Consultation for this document took place two years ago and little has changed from the original concept.  Is it worth spending the money on, perhaps not unless it is improved to include 'all information' required for those installing temporary traffic lights on the highway.   The best advise would be to use the manufacturers information provided with the lights along with the older version.

February 2008
The Department of Transport have released consultation on the revised Street Works (Qualifications of Supervisors and Operatives) (England) Regulations.   The consultation can be viewed by using the link given below.  The deadline for consultation is 15 May 2008.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/streetworksqualifications

Main changes:

• Units 2 and 10 (Signing Lighting and Guarding) become qualifications for ID card issue

• Reassessment required before re-registration of qualifications

The principle aim is to improve the quality of work carried out and standards of safety.

It is expected that existing registered assessment centres will be required to apply to the awarding bodies as an examination centre and will be notified in due course of the arrangements.

January 2008
Many visitors to the website are asking when the process for re-assessment of operatives and supervisors is to commence.  It was announced by the Department of Transport in December that the expected time scales are to introduce the revised Regulations in early 2008 and allow 18 months before mandatory reassessment begins.   This will allow employers to prepare for the start.  It is expected that there will be a flurry of re-registrations with SWQR this year.   If an ID Card has already expired then holders can still apply for re-issue without undertaking the assessments again.

September 2007
Qualifications for Supervisors and Operatives
To gain the relevant qualifications to carry out streetworks on the highway operatives and supervisors undergo an assessment of competence.   This is carried out by assessors at accredited centres.    It would not be expected that a person without appropriate training and experience would be successful in achieving any Unit of competence by attending an accredited centre to undergo such assessment.   Employers, careers advisors, training brokers need to take this into consideration when placing people to an assessment centre.   Soon (no firm date set) it will be a requirement to be re-assessed every five years to re-register qualifications.  This will more than likely be by way of taking a paper-based test to confirm that qualification holders are up to date with codes of practice, working practices and specifications.   The Standards for assessment is set out by HAUC UK with the expertise of the Awarding Bodies and industry experts alike.    There is a very distinct difference between training and assessment.   It would not be sufficient to carry out both with inexperienced candidates in a day and expect them to be deemed competent at the end of it.   The Qualifications section of the website sets out the tasks operatives and supervisors need to know and be able to perform to undergo assessment.

September 2007
A host of Regulations are being made to allow the provisions of the Traffic Management Act 2004 to come into force.  Along side this the National Assembly for Wales is also to introduce subordinate Regulations.  The Permits and Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN's) are likely to come into force in the next year.  Draft Codes of Practice are currently available on the DfT website along with Regulations to come into force.  Whilst no firm timetable is yet set, it is important that practitioners are conversant with the changes.  these new schemes are solely aimed at improving the expedition of streetworks and to reduce congestion caused by highway works.

Section 74 will also come into force in Wales at a date to be set.

Authorities will have to make application to run the fixed penalty scheme with makes various offences available for fixed penalties.  FPN's will not disallow a criminal prosecution under the Act.  It is not likely that any authority would be in a position to issue an FPN before 2009.  It has been made very clear that such a scheme is not a revenue stream for LA's.

July 2007
Streetworks Fixed Penalty Regulations and The Street Works (Registers, Notices, Directions and Designations) (England) Regulations 2007 are now available on the DfT website Click Here to view.  These Regulations take into account the Traffic Management Act 2004.

The Scottish Executive have released a draft 'The Road Works (Qualifications of Supervisors and Operatives) (Scotland) Regulations 2007'.  This amended Regulations will bring in the reassessment of qualifications for operatives and supervisors.  At this time England, Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to release drafts.  Click Here (external link).

May 2007

There has been much discussion on the status of the Safety at Streetworks and Roads Works Approved code of Practice since the the latest Chapter 8 of the Traffic signs Manual was introduced in July 2006.   Mostly there is the misconception that Chapter 8 either subsumes the ACOP, or that the ACOP is no longer valid.  Neither of these are true but there are some differences between the two and it is important that those who use the ACOP are familiar with Chapter 8 and any changes.  Some of the changes include the subsuming of other documents referred to in the ACOP such as TD63/97, convoy working which is now in Chapter 8 and more detail on works near railway level crossings.   The ACOP always made reference to Chapter 8 for more detail and it is important that traffic management takes this into account.   The ACOP is still a legal document and is issued under Section 65 and 124 of the New Roads and Streetworks Act 1991, revised in 2002.   There is a need to address changes in legislation that have been made since 2002, such as Construction, Design Management Regulations 2007 and it is expected that HAUC would be working on this.

January 2007
Approved Codes of Practice
The second edition of the Approved Code of Practice for the Specifications for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH) for Wales will come into force on 27 January 2007.  A copy of this is available from the National Assembly for Wales website.  This now means that England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own unique SROH.  Whilst there is little difference in the standards contained, employers are advised to ensure they are using the correct version for the geographical location.

November 2006
Consultation on the draft regulations for Local Authority permit schemes to improve the management of street works, and associated draft statutory guidance and code of practice. A consultation on part 3 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 - secondary legislation on permits schemes. Click Here for more

September 2006
Many emails are received from companies and individuals wanting information about the qualifications held under the provisions of the NRASWA 1991.   Information about this is contained in the 'Qualifications' section of this website.  Candidates undertaking assessment must be told by the registered centre about the qualification as part of the induction process.  The main information that must be given to candidates are as follows:

• How long does registration last, and what to do when the ID Card expires.

• Which Regulations does the qualification come under.

• Application of the Regulations.

• Units of competence available.

• Who the awarding body is.

• Equal opportunities.

• Disputes, appeals and complaints procedures

• Outline of what evidence of competence is assessed.

• What to do if certificates or cards are lost.

Employers, Registered Centres and candidates undertaking assessment must ensure that the information given or provided is accurate.

There are many 'Training Providers' who advertise streetworks qualifications but are not themselves registered centres.  Employers should seek to ensure that the provider is registered with an awarding body and they are not mislead by non-registered centres.

Streetworks Qualification Register
The register holders have moved location and contact details on current cards will be wrong.  The new address and contact telephone numbers are available here:

Streetworks
SQA
The Optima Building
58 Robertson St
Glasgow
G2 8DQ
Tel: 0845 213 5263