Designation of streets as traffic-sensitive
13.—(1) In any case where the street authority has not by agreement with a majority of statutory undertakers having apparatus in the street or a reasonable likelihood of having apparatus in the street designated a street as traffic-sensitive, the street authority shall not designate a street as traffic-sensitive pursuant to Article 24 of the Order unless one or more of the following criteria apply—
(a)the street is one on which at any time the street authority estimates the traffic flow to be greater than that shown in the table and on both sides of which the parking of vehicles is prohibited or restricted on the relevant day by a traffic regulation order under Article 4, or by an experimental traffic control scheme under Article 5, of the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997(1) for at least one hour between 7.30 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. and for at least one hour between 3.30 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. (whether or not the parking of vehicles is prohibited or restricted on the street at any other hours) or on which parking does not normally take place on either side during these hours.
TABLE
| Traffic flows (vehicles per hour) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Width of carriageway | <10.25m | 10.25–13.25m | >13.25m |
| Single carriageway | 1,050 (2-way) | 1,320 (1-way) | 3,330 (2-way) |
| Dual carriageway/ one-way street | 1,390 (1-way) | 2,770 (1-way) | 4,090 (1-way) |
The traffic flow figures used in this table assume a traffic mix containing up to 12 per cent buses or heavy goods vehicles or both. If, in the case of any street, the number of buses or heavy goods vehicles or both counted exceeds that percentage of the total number of vehicles counted, a conversion factor of 2 may be applied to the number of buses or heavy goods vehicles or both in excess of such percentage.
(b)The street is—
(i)within the area of a critical signalised junction or 100 metres of the major arm, or 50 metres of the minor arm, of such junction, measured in each case from the junction, or
(ii)within the area of a critical gyratory or roundabout system or 40 metres of the major arm, or 20 metres of the minor arm of the approach to or exit from such system, measured in each case from the junction of that arm with the system.
(c)The street is—
(i)a street in respect of which there is in force a traffic regulation order under Article 4, or an experimental traffic control scheme under Article 5, of the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 prohibiting (with or without exemptions) the use of the street by vehicular traffic for more than 8 hours in any period of 24 hours, or an order made under Article 100 of the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991(2); and
(ii)the two-way pedestrian traffic flow is at least 22 persons per minute per metre width during the busiest hour on the relevant day.
(d)The street is a single carriageway two-way road less than 6.5 metres wide having a traffic flow of not less than 600 vehicles per hour which is a trunk road.
Provided that a street authority may only designate a street as traffic-sensitive for the times and on the dates when one or more of the criteria set out in sub-paragraphs (a) to (d) apply.
(2) The procedure for making or withdrawing a designation under Article 24 of the Order is specified in Schedule 1.
(3) The information to be made available by the street authority in respect of each street for the time being designated under Article 24 of the Order shall include the date of designation, particulars of the street in sufficient detail to enable it to be identified and, in the case of a limited designation, the times of day, days, periods or occasions to which the designation applies.
(4) In this regulation—
“critical signalised junction” means a traffic signal junction at which, in the absence of street works or works for road purposes at times when the exit is not blocked, no less than 5 per cent of peak hour vehicles on average fail to clear the junction on the first green signal;
“critical gyratory or roundabout system” means a gyratory or roundabout system where, in the absence of street works or works for road purposes, no less than 5 per cent of peak hour vehicles on average are delayed by more than 20 seconds;
“major arm” of a critical signalised junction means the arm which receives more than 10 seconds of green time per cycle or which is the exit for at least 10 per cent of traffic passing through the junction in the peak hour and “minor arm” of such a junction shall be construed accordingly;
“major arm” of a critical gyratory or roundabout system means an arm which is used by no less than 20 per cent of the vehicles using that system and “minor arm” of such a system shall be construed accordingly; and
“peak hour” means between 7.30 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. and between 3.30 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. on the relevant day.
S.I. 1997/276 (N.I. 2)
S.I. 1991/1220 (N.I. 11)