National harmonisation of TTM is important for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures that the same safety standards and guidelines are being followed by all road agencies, regardless of location. This helps to reduce the number of accidents and injuries that occur on construction sites, and also makes it easier for workers and contractors to move between different states and territories without having to worry about different regulations.
Additionally, national harmonisation of TTM helps to reduce the costs associated with road construction and maintenance. By having a consistent set of guidelines and standards, road agencies can avoid the need for costly training and retraining of workers, and can also reduce the amount of time and resources needed to plan and execute TTM projects.
Austroads has been working on national harmonisation of TTM for several years, and has developed a number of guidelines and best practices to help road agencies achieve this goal. These include the “Guide to Temporary Traffic Management” and the “National Standards for Temporary Traffic Management”. These resources provide detailed information on how to safely and effectively manage traffic on and around construction and maintenance sites, and are designed to be easily understood and implemented by all road agencies.
The scope of the harmonisation project includes improved technical guidance and the implementation of a harmonised training environment for TTM practitioners, an associated Registered Training Organisation framework, as well as a prequalification scheme for organisations seeking to deliver TTM services and a national assessment and approval scheme for TTM devices.
Overall, national harmonisation of TTM is an important goal for Austroads, as it helps to improve the safety and efficiency of road transportation across Australia. By working together, road agencies can ensure that the same high standards of TTM are being met across the country, and can also help to reduce the costs associated with road construction and maintenance.
At Amber, we’ve developed Traffic Management Plans for a wide range of clients across the eastern states which includes working closely with road authorities to get approvals and ensure the works can be completed safely and efficiently. We’re excited to see a more consistent approach to traffic management across the country.
Find out more about the national harmonisation project on the Austroads website.