Doing their duty

This article reviews the introduction in the UK of the new 'network management duty' to secure speedy movement of traffic, as part of the Traffic Management Act 2004. The best local authorities are making best use of their road network, gathering congestion information and reviewing parking and loading policies. Almost all councils have designated a traffic manager although this is not always a dedicated post. Problems in implementing the duty include lack of communication, within and involving the council; lack of seniority of the traffic manager; and difficulty in interesting the police in tackling congestion. Administrative and cultural changes need to be made in the authority, information on forthcoming roadworks being an example of a problem area. Many councils do not monitor the effects of traffic regulation orders and several have no contingency plans for unexpected events on the roads.