Road and pathway maintenance

 
 

Safer Streets Initiative

Introduction

City of Westminster Streetworks Inspectors have realised an ongoing need to raise the safety awareness of works and working practices which have an impact in the pedestrian environment. Inspectors regularly have to deal with obstructions caused by various works on the public highway in addition to streetworks. These are often found to be construction works, scaffolding operations, abandoned or stored plant and materials.

In the first instance, it was useful to organise a Disability Awareness Course attended by key staff in the Road Management Group. This was hosted with the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), endorsed and supported by Westminster’s Transportation Equality Working Party (TEWP) and Transport for London (TfL). This also formed a key part of the initiative’s intention to create a starting point for improvement to working practices and enforcement issues.

Safer Streets Leaflet

Streetworks legislation already regulates the working practice of utility companies and their sub-contractors and although this is enforced and managed by the team, it is still evident that works on the highway frequently obstructs pedestrian access routes; putting road users at risk of injury. This risk is increased when pedestrians are forced to use the carriageway or cross at a non-designated point on the road without any safety measures in place; unfortunately this trend still occurs on a daily basis.

A recent memo from the Health and Safety Executive highlights an incident where safety measures were flouted by a contractor, resulting in a serious incident. Despite all the legislation in place, it is not uncommon to find breaches of these rules and Codes of Practice by all types of works on the Public Highway in Westminster. The current phase of this Initiative is structured to take a more proactive approach to these issues and has resulted in the production of the “Safer Streets Leaflet”. It is planned to be used to assist enforcement where risk, disruption, and inconvenience to pedestrians continue to be a problem in the pedestrian environment.

Content
The leaflet is also designed to be factual, practical and easy to read as a handout, with basic standard information clearly shown or referenced. The information also covers all possible works on the Public Highway through specific highway legislation as well a general Health and Safety regulation.
Target
All contractors, operatives and sub contractors that work in pedestrian areas of Westminster irrespective of operation, are subject to these Guidelines, Codes of Practice and Acts of Parliament, whether they are Council, Private, Utility or other Licensed Works. 
Distribution
All Highway Authority inspection staff, site supervisors, City Guardians, Street Environment Managers and any other council officer involved with highway compliance management. 
Benefits
  • Increased awareness for contractors and supervisors. 
  • A concise source of information.
  • Improved pedestrian environment.
  • Reduced risk of injury and associated cost to the Police, Health Service, Fire & Rescue, Ambulance and or Local Authority resources.
  • Improved service delivery.

 

The Safer Streets Initiative Leaflet can be viewed by clicking here.