TRO Checks & Reviews

DfT, WG and SG guidance for the implementation of DPE and CPE requires Councils to demonstrate that they have carried out a review of their Traffic Orders. Even for Authorities who have already implemented CPE / DPE their TROs can quickly become out of date rendering any PCNs issued unenforceable, wasting time and money and bringing the scheme in to disrepute. Writing new, maintaining existing and checking appropriateness of Orders to ensure they are up to date is a daunting task, yet authorities have previously under-resourced this aspect of the work and have suffered as a result with delays in their implementation and the subsequent impacts on their enforcement and administration services.

Indeed, during the implementation of DPE / CPE, this is often an ideal time to check the enforceability of TROs that may have been written over 50 years ago, and will have been modified many times since. Some authorities were surprised to discover that a majority of their orders were unenforceable. Authorities considering or already with DPE or CPE and those already operating with DPE or CPE need to demonstrate that their enforcement operation is fair, accurate and competent. This is probably the single most time consuming job to get right and keep right.

Periodic appropriateness checks of TROs are vital to ensure they remain an effective traffic management tool.

RTAA has the experience of carrying out TRO reviews and periodic appropriateness checks for over 90 local authorities.  We are therefore in an excellent position to advise and assist you. We pride ourselves in having the most thorough process for checking the accuracy of TROs, consolidating them and presenting them ready for enforcement.

Our TRO review would typically include:

• Complete street-by-street survey of every restriction currently on the ground
• Record of the condition of every parking related sign and road marking to determine a remedial work list.
• Checks of validity against TSRGD 2016
• Complete analysis of all TROs to create an accurate set of orders currently legally valid
• Comparison between the survey and the TRO record to highlight all discrepancies (where required).
• Advice on the way to deal with such discrepancies
• Mapping of an agreed new set of TROs ready for enforcement, using the Council’s corporate GIS system and avoiding the costs of bespoke software
• Preparation of the new TRO mapped  schedules, written preambles and articles and legal notices for on and off-street orders
• Advice and assistance to create a thorough process for ongoing TRO management post implementation.

Many Councils review TROs and MTOs simultaneously given how essential they are to prepare for further powers available under the 2004 Traffic Management Act. This can also include a full highway asset management survey and rewriting of orders. RTAA are able to undertake a full highway asset survey in conjunction with the work required for DPE and CPE.