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Streetscape and Highways Design Bill


 

Streetscape and Highways Design Bill

 

 
 

Contents

1   

Guidance to highway authorities on streetscape and highways design

2   

Policies on the quality of design of traffic signs and highway developments

3   

Interpretation

4   

Short title, commencement and extent

 

Bill 29                                                                                                 

54/2

 
 

Streetscape and Highways Design Bill

1

 

A

Bill

To

Make provision about standards of streetscape and highways design; to

require the Secretary of State to provide guidance and advice to local

authorities and the Highways Agency on streetscape and highways design; to

require local authorities to publish policies on the quality of design of traffic

signs and highway developments; to require local authorities to have regard

to such policies when causing or permitting traffic signs to be placed on or

near a road or when carrying out highways work; and for connected purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and

consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present

Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1       

Guidance to highway authorities on streetscape and highways design

(1)   

The Secretary of State shall provide guidance to highway authorities setting

out criteria for the design of streetscape and highways development.

(2)   

Those criteria must ensure that traffic management needs are balanced against

their impact on the surrounding environment.

5

(3)   

The Secretary of State shall take such steps as he considers necessary to ensure

that appropriate advice about best practice in streetscape and highways design

is available to highway authorities.

2       

Policies on the quality of design of traffic signs and highway developments

(1)   

A highway authority must publish, in such manner as they consider

10

appropriate, a policy on the quality of design of traffic signs and highway

developments (a “design policy”).

(2)   

The design policy must have regard to any guidance published under section

1.

(3)   

The design policy must, in particular, include—

15

(a)   

the minimisation of unnecessary visual intrusion and a reduction in the

number and cost of signs;

 
Bill 29 54/2
 
 

Streetscape and Highways Design Bill

2

 

(b)   

the maintenance of road safety and the provision of timely and relevant

information to road users;

(c)   

the principles governing all roads within the authority’s responsibility.

(4)   

A highway authority must have regard to their design policy—

(a)   

when causing or permitting traffic signs to be placed on or near a road,

5

and

(b)   

when carrying out highways work.

(5)   

A highway authority must carry out regular audits of traffic signs and

highways developments in order to ensure that traffic signs and highways

developments meet the requirements of their design policy.

10

3       

Interpretation

In this Act “highway authority” means—

(a)   

the Highways Agency, and

(b)   

a local highway authority within the meaning of section 329 of the

Highways Act 1980 (c. 66) (interpretation).

15

4       

Short title, commencement and extent

(1)   

This Act may be cited as the Streetscape and Highways Design Act 2007.

(2)   

This Act shall come into force at the end of the period of two months beginning

with the day on which it is passed.

(3)   

This Act extends to England and Wales only.

20

 
   
   

 
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