Pre-Planning Application

Road Safety Audit, and Design and Access Statement

Where changes to the local highway network are proposed as a consequence of the development or where new highway is being created, it is usual that the preliminary designs are subject to a Stage 1 Road Safety Audit. This assessment accompanies the Transport Assessment and provides an independent safety assessment of the design and includes recommendations on how the design could be improved to address any safety issues identified.

The Road Safety Audit is carried out by a trained road safety auditor and a supporting team, all of whom must be independent of the Transport Assessment or the design process for the development.

Design and Access Statements

All planning applications must also be supported by a Design and Access Statement which sets out the design process and design development that has taken place to reach the final design. All members of the Project Team normally contribute to this document, with the Highway Engineer providing input on the design of transport infrastructure both within and external to the site.

Public Engagement

Major developments can lead to public meetings or exhibitions where interested parties can “drop in” to view the proposal and discuss its impact or form with team members. Traffic and road safety issues are often a major concern to the public and the Highway Engineer will be in attendance to answer questions and explain the traffic and transport elements of the proposal and the design process. This is very much a two way process as an explanation of the design process can often remove the initial concerns of local residents and by their extensive local knowledge local residents can often also bring a valuable insight to a proposal.