Temporary Traffic Management - Introduction of NZGTTM

Thames-Coromandel Temporary Traffic Management – November 2024

We issue this information to provide industry with guidance on council's expectations regarding changes to the requirements for Temporary Traffic Management (TTM) on district roads within Thames-Coromandel District Council administrative area and highlight critical points that need to be taken into account by traffic management operators on district roads.  
The information below and requirements outlined are needed to enable Council, as the Road Controlling Authority (RCA) for district roads, to fulfil its obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 2015. The information below will be updated as required as the New Zealand Guide to Temporary Traffic Management is updated and amended nationally.

New Zealand Guide Temporary Traffic Management (NZGTTM) update

From 01 November 2024 Thames-Coromandel District Council will accept applications for temporary traffic management on the district road network using NZGTTM.
If contractors choose to work under the NZGTTM council require, as a minimum, the applicant to use and submit the relevant NZGTTM forms along with being in alignment with NZGTTM TMP Form Guidelines. Where contractors have additional information or supporting documents that are relevant to the application, they can be submitted in addition to the required forms as part of the TMP. Should the applicant wish to utilise the NZGTTM approach they will also need to ensure that their company policies and procedures have been effectively communicated with any relevant Road Controlling Authorities to outline how safety will be maintained for workers and the public and that they are not put at risk as a result of the business or undertaking being proposed on Council roads.
It is expected that the accompanying risk assessment required under NZGTTM will be based upon a robust historic precedent and any accompanying TM layout drawings will reflect that approach.
Finally, written confirmation is required that the applicant's third-party liability insurance has been updated to take into account the increased risk associated with the adoption of a risk-based approach to traffic management by the applicant. Failure to provide this written confirmation will bring into question the validity of the applicant's insurance policy and result in the application being declined.

Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management (CoPTTM)

Traffic Management Plan (TMP) submissions to council will still be accepted under CoPTTM as a historical precedent during the transition period of industry to NZGTTM.

Pending changes and retirement of the NZTA warrant card system

With the pending changes and retirement of the NZTA warrant card system for TTM qualifications, the Council will recognise the current expiry date of the warrant cards held by traffic management staff as proof of competency and training until they expire. 
To enable Council to fulfil its obligations under HSWA, the minimum requirement for those wishing to undertake activities that vary the normal operating condition of the road, in a TTM supervisory role, on the Council network must hold either a current NZTA warrant or a relevant NZQA framework registered qualification, unit standard or micro credential. Council is unlikely to accept a company’s internal training and competency systems as a measure or certification of training and competency as it is not reasonably practicable for Council to review every company's systems.

Working on the Thames-Coromandel District Council roading network, whether using CoPTTM or NZGTTM, applicants also need to be aware:

• There is a requirement to seek approval to close a road from the person with delegated authority under the Local Government Act 1974, the Council roading manager.
• There is still a requirement to have any regulatory traffic control devices, including temporary speed limits, approved by the RCA or be in accordance with national standards.
• Any equipment deployed on a roading network must meet national specifications when being used to control traffic (Traffic Control Devices Rule 2004).
• There is still a requirement to engage with RCAs on matters of safety and indicate how activities will be managed safely.
• The road controlling authority has obligations under HSWA and, as a result, are able to set minimum standards if parties want to undertake works or vary the normal operating condition of roads that council own or manage. Non-compliance with those standards will result in the application being declined. In the absence of current national standards council will adopt those standards historically specified in CoPTTM as a minimum standard to ensure public safety.
• The road controlling authority has the ability to undertake site checks or assurance checks/audits of works being undertaken on their roads. This is to ascertain that contractors are undertaking works in the manner that they have stated they would or, if circumstances have changed, that they have assessed risk and communicated to seek further approval or authorisation as required.