PART I – CRITERIA AND STANDARDS ANNEX A: POLICY ON TRUCKSTOPS SIGNED FROM MOTORWAYS OR ALL-PURPOSE TRUNK ROADS ON THE SCOTTISH TRUNK ROAD NETWORK GLOSSARY
PART I – CRITERIA AND STANDARDS
1. This Transport Scotland publication describes policy on the standards and signing of Truckstop facilities from the Motorways and All-Purpose Trunk Roads of the Scottish Trunk Road Network (STRN) and reflects the terms of the "Scottish Planning Policy: SPP17 – Planning for Transport" and its associated guidance in "Planning Advice Note: PAN 75 – Planning for Transport", both of which must be read in conjunction with this document.
2. Its provisions apply to Scotland only, although similar arrangements are in place in England (Department for Transport Circular: 01/2008).
3. This policy applies in respect of all relevant new developments and existing facilities on or near the STRN.
4. In planning for the future, with the aim of facilitating development, optimising planning objectives and attaining sustainable economic growth, it is imperative that Government and public agencies continue to promote and enhance an integrated approach to transport and land-use planning.
5. Planning authorities should support the provision of a range of roadside facilities, in defining opportunities for service areas and other facilities on trunk roads, and in so doing they should take into account the provisions of Scottish Government policy and advice.
6. While Transport Scotland’s remit is to ensure that the potential impact of development proposals on the trunk road network is properly assessed and appropriately mitigated, where required, they also recognise the need for continued economic development and regeneration throughout Scotland.
7. New and existing Truckstop facilities are subject to the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Scotland) Order 1992, in which the Scottish Ministers are designated as statutory consultees and for which Transport Scotland acts as agent on their behalf.
8. Operators must comply with the defined requirements for a "service area", as shown in Annex F to Planning Advice Note: PAN 75 – Planning for Transport and with the criteria listed hereafter in Paragraph 17, to be allowed associated signing for such facilities. These provisions and the need for compliance with them as a prerequisite for continued signing will be reßected in the Traffic Signs Agreements into which they enter with Transport Scotland. In addition, where the initial establishment criteria are not maintained, action may be taken by Transport Scotland which might ultimately lead to the signing being removed.
9. Development proposals that have the potential to affect the performance or safety of the strategic transport network need to be fully appraised to determine their impact.
10. The number of direct accesses onto the motorway and trunk road network requires to be limited for road safety reasons and to protect the integrity of the network’s strategic function. New junctions onto the motorway and trunk road network are not, therefore, normally acceptable. It is recognised, however, that in exceptional circumstances, where no other alternative exists a case for new access may be made. Any new access to either the motorway or trunk road network will require the approval of Scottish Ministers. This approval process will be undertaken by Transport Scotland, in its role of transport delivery agency to the Scottish Ministers.
11. Truckstop facilities have the capability of enhancing road safety by providing opportunities for drivers to stop and take a break in the course of their journey. While the general advice is that all motorists should stop and take a break of at least 20 minutes every two hours, drivers of Large Goods Vehicles(LGVs) are additionally subject to a regime of statutory breaks and such facilities offer opportunities to comply with this.
12. Where new accesses are required to afford entry to roadside facilities, a full and compliant transport appraisal will be required to make this case and engagement with Transport Scotland at the earliest stage of consideration is essential. Transport Scotland encourages these pre-application discussions since, in transport terms, this will enable the developer to provide details of the proposal, allow Transport Scotland to initially indicate their acceptability, highlight relevant issues which may affect proposals, the likely requirement for transport assessment and the nature and scale of information to be provided.
13. Should it be deemed necessary that a Transport Assessment is required, it should be undertaken in accordance with the Scottish Government’s publication "Transport Assessment and Implementation: A Guide".
14. While Transport Scotland will be responsible for covering any administrative costs related to the application, the full cost of any works within the motorway or trunk road boundary (including traffic management), will be met by the developer by means of an agreement with the Scottish Ministers under Section 48 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984.
15. Truckstop operators should endeavour to provide high-quality facilities at all times. This will instil confidence in road users that, when they stop at a facility, their essential needs will be met. It is in the interests of operators to encourage drivers to use their facilities for as long as they require to rest. By ensuring consistently high standards of hygiene, service, catering, seating and other facilities, operators are likely to increase both customer numbers and lengths of stay. The consequence will be better-rested and more-alert drivers, and this is likely to have a positive impact on road safety.
ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF CRITERIA
16. While the Scottish Ministers are prepared to install, at developers' expense, the requisite Truckstop signing on the STRN, they will retain their discretion to remove such signs should, in their opinion, any aspect of the operation of a "service area" be detrimental to the free flow of traffic or to safety on the road network or, the minimum requirements to qualify as a "Truckstop" not be maintained. Details of associated signs must be agreed with Transport Scotland.
TRUCKSTOPS SIGNED FROM THE MOTORWAY OR FROM ALL-PURPOSE TRUNK ROADS
17. In order to be signed from the motorway or all-purpose trunk roads, a Truckstop must meet the following criteria:
- Free short term parking for commercial vehicles, including those only wishing to rest and not use any facilities;
- Fuel;
- Free toilets;
- A picnic area with picnic tables available during daylight hours;
- All facilities accessible to disabled people;
- Telephones;
- Signing should normally be limited to truckstops within 2 miles of the motorway that provide a minimum of 30 LGV parking spaces;
- These minimum facilities must be available every day of the year, 24 hours per day;
- The route selected must not require LGVs to travel through residential areas;
- Where the Truckstop facility is accessed from local roads, continuation signing must have been agreed in principle by the relevant local authority, as a prerequisite to Transport Scotland considering the provision of signing on the STRN.
19. While additional services, like catering and retail facilities, are not obligatory within this framework, operators may consider offering these facilities at appropriate levels in the light of demand.
20. Arrangements for the provision of requisite signing from the Motorway and All-Purpose Trunk Roads are as described in Annex A.
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
21. Transport Scotland expects operators of all roadside facilities to conduct business in a socially and environmentally responsible manner and to act in the best interest of their customers, staff and the wider community. Operators should encourage their customers and staff to behave in an environmentally responsible manner by providing adequate recycling litter bins where appropriate, promoting sustainable waste practices, and ensuring the premises and surrounding environment are clean, safe and secure. Customers should be able to choose from a range of healthy food options, with products sourced from local providers wherever possible.
ANNEX A: POLICY ON TRUCKSTOPS SIGNED FROM MOTORWAYS OR ALL-PURPOSE TRUNK ROADS ON THE SCOTTISH TRUNK ROAD NETWORK
A1 INTRODUCTION
A1.1 This policy covers the provision of traffic signs to roadside facilities from the Scottish Trunk Road Network (STRN). It should always be read in conjunction with the Traffic Sign Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD), S.I.2002 No. 3113, or any succeeding document.
A1.2 In order to be lawfully placed on or near roads in Scotland, traffic signs must either be prescribed by the TSRGD or be specially authorised by the Scottish Ministers in accordance with section 65 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
A1.3 Detailed guidance on the design and use of traffic signs can be obtained in the Traffic Signs Manual, which is available from The Stationery Office or on the Department for Transport (DfT) website at www.dft.gov.uk/roads/signs. Working drawings for most of the signs described in this annex are also available at this location.
A1.4 For non-prescribed signs on the STRN or non-prescribed variants to prescribed signs on the STRN, authorisation must be sought from Transport Scotland, which acts on behalf of the Scottish Ministers.
A2 CRITERIA REQUIRED FOR TRUCKSTOP SIGNING
A2.1 Provided that a Truckstop facility meets the primary criteria listed below, satisfies the requirements of Annex F to Planning Advice Note: PAN 75 – Planning for Transport and a Traffic Signs Agreement has been entered into by an Operator, Transport Scotland will permit associated signing to be erected on the STRN:
- Free short term parking for commercial vehicles, including those only wishing to rest and not use any facilities;
- Fuel;
- Free toilets;
- A picnic area with picnic tables available during daylight hours;
- All facilities accessible to disabled people;
- Telephones;
- Signing should normally be limited to truckstops within 2 miles of the motorway that provide a minimum of 30 LGV parking spaces;
- The route selected must not require LGVs to travel through residential areas;
- These minimum facilities must be available every day of the year, 24 hours per day;
- Where the Truckstop facility is accessed from local roads, continuation signing must have been agreed in principle by the relevant local authority, as a prerequisite to Transport Scotland considering the provision of associated signing on the STRN.
A2.2 The funding for Truckstop signs and the criteria to be adhered to should be secured from the Operator by means of a "Traffic Signs Agreement" within the framework of Section 48 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. (A Model "Letter of Agreement" is illustrated in Part II).
A3 SIGN DESIGN AND USE (MOTORWAY)
A3.1 Since the introduction of the 2002 TSRGD, it has been possible to sign various LGV destinations and routes from motorways using diagram 2929.1. Now, subject to their conformity to relevant standards, specialist LGV facilities (generally known as "Truckstops") can receive signing more akin to standard Motorway Service Area (MSA) signing. In light of this change, a non-prescribed sign design has been developed, that will require authorisation for use.
A3.2 Truckstops are generally located on the local road network close to a motorway junction. The sequence of signing, therefore, should be as follows:
- One and a half miles before the junction from which the truckstop can be accessed, there should be a sign to diagram NP 2919.2 (non-prescribed sign) indicating the distance to the junction. It is important that it is this distance, rather than the overall distance to the truckstop, that is given, or drivers might pass the turn-off, believing that there was an access further along the motorway. As previously indicated, this sign is, as yet, non-prescribed, and must therefore be authorised. It is similar in appearance to other services signing, but, in keeping with the standard convention for LGV route signing, it has a black background with white lettering. No header board is permitted.
Non-prescribed sign NP2919.2
- Between the half-mile and final Advanced Direction Sign (ADS) for the junction, there should be a sign to diagram 2929, with legend (e.g. "Puddleworth truckstop") and an inclined arrow. This is a permitted variant of the prescribed sign and does not require site-specific authorisation.
Diagram 2929 for truckstop
- On the motorway slip road, signing may be provided either by a further variant of diagram 2929, or by incorporating a black panel into the standard direction signing. Again, this is permitted by the TSRGD.
A3.3 Subject to appropriate approval from the local roads authority, continuity signing on local roads should be provided either by means of signs to diagrams 2805, 2806 and/or 2806.1, varied as necessary, or by adding black panels to standard directional signing. This, too, is permitted by TSRGD.
A4 SIGN DESIGN AND USE (ALL-PURPOSE TRUNK ROADS)
A4.1 Fully qualifying services that cater only for LGVs should be signed in advance using diagram 2313.5, with symbols varied as appropriate.
Diagram 2313.5
A4.2 Where required, final advance direction signs to lorry only service areas should be designed to diagram 2313.6, varied to omit the lorry with the red diagonal line and add the lorry symbol plus "Lorries only". These signs may also include the range of symbols shown on the half-mile advance direction signs, and the symbols should be the same on both signs. Signs of this type, incorporating symbols, should only be used where drivers are required to turn off the main road in order to reach services accessed from a minor road. They should not be used as final signs at the entrance to a service area.
Diagram 2313.6 – lorries only
A4.3 At the entrance to the service area itself, either diagram 2314.1 or diagram 2314.2 should be used, as appropriate for the road layout. Signs to diagram 2314.2 may also be used at slip road nosings. The direction to a service area may also be indicated by adding the destination Services to standard directional signing, either directly in the case of non-primary route signs, or in a panel in the case of green primary route signs. Schedule 16, item 35 of the TSRGD, indicates those sign diagrams to which this permitted variant applies.
A5 FINANCIAL AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS (Also see Paragraphs 9 & 10 in Part II)
A5.1 While Transport Scotland will cover the administrative costs to process the application, the Applicant will be responsible for paying the full cost of providing the traffic signs including the design, manufacture, supervision of works, posts and fittings, concrete, erection, traffic management, and safety fencing (if required);
A5.2 All signs and associated equipment installed on the STRN will be assumed as property of Transport Scotland and no alterations to signs can be made without consent.
A5.3 Transport Scotland will assume responsibility for maintenance of the signs, with projected costs to be incurred by TS having previously been represented in the initial set-up arrangements.
A6 MANUFACTURE AND INSTALLATION
A6.1 The approved signs must be manufactured in accordance with BS 873 [8] or any successor standard, by an agreed sign manufacturer.
A6.2 To provide suitable freedom of choice, the Applicant may select either the Trunk Road Operating Company (TROC) or an Approved Contractor to install these signs. (In the latter case, the Approved Contractor must undertake an agreed level of liaison with the TROC, to ensure that appropriate quality and standards are achieved).
A7 CONTINUATION SIGNING ON LOCAL ROADS
A7.1 While Transport Scotland will liaise with any relevant Local Authority (LA) to confirm that the latter has given "agreement in principle" to the provision of associated signing on local roads, it is the responsibility of the Applicant to negotiate with individual LAs regarding the cost, manufacture, installation and maintenance of such signing and must therefore maintain suitable liaison arrangements with each LA throughout the entire process.
GLOSSARY
ADS |
Advance direction signs |
DfT |
Department for Transport |
LGV |
Large Goods Vehicle |
LA |
Local Authority |
LPA |
Local Planning Authority |
MSA |
Motorway service area |
PAN75 |
"Planning Advice Note – Planning for Transport" |
SSP17 |
"Scottish Planning Policy (SPP17) – Planning for Transport" |
STRN |
Scottish Trunk Road Network (PAN75) – The network of trunk roads, including motorways, for which the Scottish Ministers are the roads authority |
TROC |
Trunk Road Operating Company |
TS |
Transport Scotland, which acts as agent for the Scottish Ministers |
TSRGD |
Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions, 2002 |