TMS Consultancy

New Pedestrian and Cycle Route in East Sussex

New pedestrian and cycle route in East Sussex

This year, we completed the last of various Road Safety Audits on the new pedestrian and cycle route along the A27 trunk road, East of Lewes, East Sussex. The scheme forms part of a National Highways improvement scheme between Polegate and Wick Street, which aims to improve journey times and provide a pedestrian/cycle facility along this section of the A27.

The NMU route is approximately 11.5km long and runs along the southern side of the A27.  It is predominantly separated from the major carriageway by hedgerows and environmental screens so that users are shielded from heavy traffic and noise.

A27 Cycle route (Dual Carriageway)
A27 Cycle Route

TMS have been involved in this project since June 2020, carrying out the Stage 2 Road Safety Audit, with subsequent design revisions, through to an Interim Stage 3 audit completed in December 2022.  At the final Stage 3 Road Safety Audit, our engineers Harminder Aulak and Darren Newbold cycled the whole route in both directions.  The audit team commented:

“It was a long ride and we enjoyed the views of the South Downs, even though some of the hills were challenging! It was satisfying to see the completed scheme having been involved in the project since the various construction stages. We met several members of the public during the site visit, who were delighted and enthusiastic about the new route, as it allows people to travel away from the main carriageway of the busy trunk road.”

 

At TMS, we have extensive experience in carrying out Road Safety Audits, at all stages, on the trunk and motorway network throughout the UK on behalf of National Highways, Welsh Government, Transport Scotland and Department for Infrastructure.

If you have a scheme that requires a Road Safety Audit on the trunk or motorway network, or any other highway scheme, then please contact us by filling out the form here or by emailing Lorna Styring.

Road Safety Audits

Road Safety Audits completed for London’s largest Royal Park

Road Safety Audits completed for London's largest Royal Park

TMS were commissioned in September 2022 to carry out a combined Stage 1 & 2 Road Safety Audit on the proposed improvements within Richmond Park, London. This was a unique audit for the team given that the scheme is for a Royal Park and as such, its roads are private and do not form part of the public highway.

Richmond Park, is the largest of London’s Royal Parks and is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation.  Historically the preserve of the monarch, the park is now open for all to use and includes a golf course and other facilities for sport and recreation.  Richmond Park played an important role in both world wars and in the 1948 and 2012 Olympics.

During the initial site visit for the design stage Road Safety Audit, it was obvious that the Royal Park was very popular with the public, for dog walkers, cyclists, joggers, and walkers in general, enjoying the open nature and wildlife (the site is still inhabited by deer).

The objective of the scheme is to provide new and improved pedestrian crossing facilities throughout the park, with upgrades including the provision of raised tables and improved footway links. Also included as part of the scheme were new gateway features to aid traffic management (vehicle restrictions and cycle traffic calming).

These improvements were predominantly located on the main perimeter / circular route around the park which is approximately 7 miles long.

Richmond Park traffic
Richmond park cyclist

Following the completion of the traffic management scheme in summer 2023, the original audit team carried out the final Stage 3 Road Safety Audit.

However, as Richmond Park operates differently at the weekend to weekdays, with certain sections of the private roads closed off, an additional Sunday site visit was commissioned, as part of the Stage 3 Road Safety Audit.

The purpose of the weekend site visit was to observe the operation of the park and the different traffic movements at the weekend, where pedestrians and cyclist still have full access and motorised vehicles are restricted via the new gating system. The weekend site visit was also conducted by bike, where the 7 mile perimeter route and side road sections were cycled in full.  As the park is very popular with cyclists, this helped to give a better insight for this particular road user.

When the park was closed at dusk, where all motorised vehicles must vacate and the main gates are closed, the deer made a welcome appearance.

It was a beautiful summers evening for the audit team to carry out the night time site visit, which formed part of the Stage 3 Road Safety Audit – a refreshing change to some of the usual locations our auditors get to experience!

Richmond Park at dusk

We are committed to tailoring audits to observe peak traffic situations and can conduct Road Safety Audits using different modes of transport applicable to the scheme, to ensure all potential safety issues are covered.

At TMS, we carry out Road Safety Audits throughout central London and the surrounding London Boroughs.  If you have a scheme that requires a Road Safety Audit in the London area, or anywhere else in the country, please call us on +44 (0)24 7669 0900 or email Lorna Styring.

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Road Safety Audits

Stage 3 Road Safety Audit on Aberdare Footbridge, Wales

Stage 3 Road Safety Audit on Aberdare Footbridge, Wales

One of our Road Safety Audit teams, consisting of Richard Marriott and Tara Jowett, headed to the beautiful area of Aberdare, South Wales to carry out a Stage 3 Road Safety Audit on a newly constructed footbridge spanning the river Cynon.

 

The footbridge, located in Mountain Ash, links up the extensive cycle network and Cwn Cynon Business park on the North side with Harcourt Terrace on the South side. Located between Penrhiwceiber and Mountain Ash Train Station the bridge crosses the Aberdare branch of the Merthyr Line.

The river Cynon (Welsh: Afon Cynon) is a main tributary of the Taff.  Its source is the rising of Llygad Cynon at 219 metres (719 ft) above sea level at Penderyn, Rhondda Cynon Taf and flows roughly southeast, into the Taff at Abercynon in the same district.  The newly installed bridge replaces the previous one and allows users to traverse the railway line and river connecting to an extensive cycle route network. These improvements should hopefully encourage more users to make use of the extensive cycle network and improve access to Mountain Ash and Aberdare.

 

Aberdare Footbridge Close Up
Aberdare Footbridge

The works have been carried out in conjunction with the electrification of the existing railway line owned and operated by Transport for Wales.

The audit team were fortunate enough to have gorgeous sunshine for their site visit to allow them to appreciate the new and improved footbridge in its beautiful surroundings.

At TMS, we carry out Road Safety Audits throughout the UK and have carried out over 100 audits in Wales. If you have a scheme that requires a Road Safety Audit in Wales, or anywhere else in the country, then please contact us by filling out the form here or by emailing Lorna Styring.

Road Safety Audits

Road Safety Audits in Northamptonshire

Road Safety Audits in Northamptonshire

TMS regularly visit Northamptonshire carrying out Road Safety Audits, at all stages, across the whole county.  A large proportion of our total annual road safety audits are carried out within Northamptonshire and the surrounding areas.

Northampton Road

TMS carry out the road safety audits for a variety of clients ranging from small independent to large housebuilders, designers for multi-discipline national companies and the local highway authority themselves.

Schemes range from simple priority junctions and pedestrian crossings to major new infrastructure schemes for new housing developments, such as Stanton Cross, Wellingborough (circa 3500 houses), improvements to various grade separated junctions on the A14 at Kettering to realignment and dualling of the A6 at Burton Latimer.  Our auditors have also been involved in various elements of the HS2 Enabling Works, Priors Hall Park in Corby, Symmetry Park, Kettering and the Northampton West SUE project.

The road safety audit process for Northamptonshire follows very closely to that of GG119 for National Highways.  CVs of the proposed audit team and Road Safety Audit Brief are submitted by our clients for their approval, on a scheme-by-scheme basis. Similarly, it is a requirement that the reports must be approved by Northamptonshire Highways before being issued to the Design Organisation.

Northampton Map

TMS has become very familiar with their internal safety audit process over recent years and have built good working relationships with West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire Councils.  This enables us to have a fundamental understanding of the process and allows us to offer help and guidance to our clients, who are unfamiliar with some of the procedures in place.

If you would like some more information on Northamptonshire’s Road Safety Audit process, please call us on +44 (0)24 7669 0900 or email Lorna Styring.  Alternatively, if your scheme is ready to be audited, you can request a quote.

Road Safety Audits

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