HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT CONTROL PROCEDURES. TIME FOR REVIEW AND CHANGE

The importance of controlling development which is likely to cause interference with the flow of traffic or to prejudice future road improvements cannot be denied. The origins of highway development procedures date back to the 1930's when steps were required to be undertaken to curb ribbon development. Today the justification for their continued use is that they help maintain high standards of road safety; but the legislation is selective since it only permits trunk and classifiede to be protected by a highway authority from otherwise detrimental effects of developments. Significant lengths of highway, particularly those in urban areas, do not receive the same protection. Extraordinarily therefore lightly trafficked trunk or classified rural receive full protection whilst many heavily trafficked urban are exempt. The author reviews the existing powers of control available to highway authorities; appraises the road classification system since this forms the basis for much of the legislation; draws attention to the inconsistency in approach to the road hierarchy advocated in roads in urban areas and the statutory powers available to achieve the stated objectives therein; discusses the effects of vehicular accesses on personal injury road accidents; gives examples of methods of enhancing road safety by the introduction of specified measures at new access or existing access subject to intensive use and concludes that there is a strong case for reviewing the present system of highway development control so as to give a highway authority wider powers. For the covering abstract of the proceedings see TRIS 450538. (Author/TRRL)