Senior Consultant Karen Fehl recently attended a seminar in Auckland presented by the NZTA National Cycling Team, a group designed to promote and streamline planning and procurement, cycle safety and the optimisation of transport networks.

Cycling is currently the fastest growing mode of transport in Auckland and with the government announcement in March of a further $100 million in funding for cycling through the Urban Cycleways Fund (UCF), there is now an associated emphasis on delivering cycle projects.

The seminar was aimed at assisting future programming and planning for cycle projects in light of this investment and was attended by people from a range of backgrounds, including consultants, cycling advocates, coordinators and educators, project managers and funding specialists.

Topics of discussion included the current state of play with cycling and cycle strategy in NZ, funding and the business case approach, types of people on bikes and their needs, overview design concepts, community involvement and promotion, and evaluating the benefits of cycle schemes.

Karen, who worked on cycle facilities early in her career in Wellington, and is interested in how different road user’s needs are managed on arterial road projects such as the bus lanes project on Great North Road, found the seminar both stimulating and worthwhile.

Mark Armstrong and Steve Griffith are now qualified as non-practicing supervisors in Level 2/3 Site Traffic Management (STMS – NP) following participation in an NZTA-initiated safety workshop.

The key aim of the workshop was to promote safe working practices, standards and operating procedures at roadwork sites and covered the revised standards and operating procedures required by the current NZTA Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management (CoPTTM). The workshop also provided an understanding of how the Health and Safety in Employment Act relates to workers on the road.

Key procedures covered by the workshop included:

  • Developing a consistent approach to traffic control·
  • Analysing Traffic Management Plans in relation to various roading situations
  • Appling the planning and setting up of roadwork sites to actual roading situations
  • Producing Traffic Management Plans
  • Understanding the requirements for sign selection, placement, safe operating procedures and work site protection for Level 2-3 roads
  • Understanding the requirements for mobile operations
  • Carrying out audits of the road work sites for compliance using the NZTA audit procedure

The two day course was attended by a mix of operational staff, technicians, and engineers and effectively aligns with the Traffic Control Devices Manual Part 8: CoPTTM.