Highways Agency

1. Preamble

1.1 The National Guidance Framework and Detailed Local Operating Agreements

This document sets out the principles behind the development of operational relationships between LHAs and TiS. It explains how TiS will develop the TCC operations in partnership with LHAs. Background information giving further details about the TCC Project may be found in the booklet "The Highway's Agency's Traffic Control Centre Project" For availability of this booklet see the contact details at the end of this document (section 4).

1.1.1 The National Guidance Framework

This NGF document is a tri-partite agreement, made between the Executive of the Traffic Operations Co-ordinating Committee (TOCC)(The TOCC Executive comprises representatives of CSS, the Core Cities Group and the Technical Advisers Group (TAG).), representing Local Highway Authorities (LHAs)(For the purposes of this document, the terms "Local Highway Authority" and "LHA" refer to a Local Authority in England responsible for local roads under relevant legislation. A "Local Authority" under this definition is considered to be a county council, a district council, a London borough council, a joint authority established by Part IV of the Local Government Act 1985 or the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as local authority or any authority that is a successor authority to any of them), the Highways Agency ("the Agency") and Traffic Information Services (TiS) Limited ("TCC Company") relating to the operation of the Agency's National Traffic Control Centre (TCC). A glossary of terms and abbreviations is found in Annex C.

The scope of the partnerships to be developed between TiS and LHAs is defined within a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which can be found in Annex D. The MoU is a precursor to this NGF and sets out the guiding principles for the preparation of Detailed Local Operating Agreements (DLOAs) with each LHA, where a mutual interest exists for strategic traffic management purposes.

The relationship between the MoU, NGF and DLOA documents is illustrated in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 - The relationship between the MoU, NGF and DLOA

1.1.2 Detailed Local Operating Agreements

DLOAs will be the working documents tailored to meet the needs of individual LHAs and will describe the procedures, protocols and communication methods that will used by each LHA and TiS in exchanging and acting upon operational information between the LHA and TiS.

1.1.3 Other Highway Authorities

It is recognised that practical working relationships also need to be established with Other Highway Authorities (OHAs), which includes control centres in Scotland and Wales where cross-border issues exist. Representatives from the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales were closely involved in the consultative process for development of this NGF and TiS will continue this partnership through development and agreement of DLOAs with each of these organisations.

1.1.4 Other Interested Parties

In addition to LHAs, it is recognised that the TCC Project will involve a wide range of Other Interested Parties (OIPs) including the police, the Agency's Maintaining Agents, DBFO operators, major traffic generators (e.g. regional shopping centres) and others. TiS will develop operating arrangements with these groups to ensure that all aspects of Core Network operation are fully coordinated.

1.2 Background

1.2.1 Purpose of the TCC

The prime function of the TCC is to collect, process and distribute strategic (wide-area) traffic information for the Core Network to assist the travelling public in planning their journeys. This includes the setting of roadside variable message signs (VMS) using pre-agreed protocols. The TCC will also support the Agency and its operational partners in optimising the use, management and operation of the network. A plan showing the extent of the network is included at the end of this section.

1.2.2 Policy Context

The TCC Project has been developed by the Agency to meet the objectives of the Government White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone".

The relevant Agency policy objectives are:

• To develop the Agency's role as network operator by implementing traffic management, network communications and other measures aimed at making best use of the existing infrastructure and facilitating integration with other transport modes.
• To take action to reduce congestion and increase the reliability of journey times.
• To minimise the impact of the core network on both the natural and built environment.
• To improve safety for all road users and contribute to the Government's new safety strategy and targets for 2010
• To work in partnership with the travelling public, transport providers and operators, local authorities and others affected by the Agency's operations, to promote choice and information for the travelling public, monitoring and publishing information about the performance and reliability of the network.

1.2.3 Operating the TCC

TiS will design, implement and operate the national Traffic Control Centre for a period of ten years from August 2001. However, TCC operations are expected to continue far beyond this period.

Operations are expected to start during 2003 and the TCC is anticipated to be fully operational in early 2004.

TiS will operate under policy guidance from the Agency and its contract requires it to develop and agree the operational practices described in this NGF and the subsequent DLOAs to be agreed with each LHA.

1.2.4 Operational Partners

In addition to close operating partnerships with LHAs, TiS will develop other partnerships with the Police Service, Other Highway Authorities (OHAs), Highways Agency related bodies and other interested parties including other network operators, and the media and information service providers. The role of LHAs in their traffic management activities on the network for which they are responsible will not be changed by the implementation of the TCC Project. The TCC will be responsible for new wide-area strategic traffic information systems on the Core Network only, but it is expected that the exchange of accurate up-to-date information will assist LHAs in their network management activities.

1.2.5 Traffic Operations Co-ordinating Committee (TOCC)

The TOCC was established to bring together representatives from LHAs throughout England to keep under review co-ordination agreements and operational procedures made with TiS. It is overseen by the TOCC Executive, comprising representatives from CSS, the Core Cities Group and the Technical Advisors Group (TAG). TOCC also includes representatives from the Agency, TiS, the National Assembly for Wales, the Scottish Executive and a wide spectrum of LHAs in England.

1.2.6 Briefing and Awareness Activities

In October 2001, a series of Partnership Information Days were organised for LHAs, with briefings and presentations to raise awareness of the TCC Project. These events were held on a regional basis.