Table 6-1: Tier 1 screening assessment for localised effects

STEP 1: Determine whether the project requires assessment

New roads

Changes to traffic on existing roads due to land-use changes, or permanent changes to the road network or infrastructure

Are there any parts of the project being assessed where there will be:
any significant increase in traffic or
any significant decrease in level of service or
any significant increase in the proportion of heavy duty vehicles (> 3.5 tonnes)?

Determining whether the change is significant is a matter for judgement. If there is doubt, a tier 2 assessment will quickly determine whether changes are significant.

Action: Proceed to STEP 2 for these projects. Projects that do not require assessment include temporary diversions, maintenance works, and any project that is not likely to increase emissions.

STEP 2: Evaluate traffic information to identify possible “hot spots”

Busy roads

Identify links where traffic is likely to be greater than 7,000 vehicles per day.

Congested roads

Identify any links that may be congested, where traffic is likely to be greater than 3,000 vehicles per day.

Concentrations are often higher where traffic is slow moving with stop/start driving. Use local knowledge and/or results of traffic modelling to identify likely areas of congestion.

Busy intersections

Identify any busy intersections with more than 7,000 vehicles per day, regardless of level of congestion.

Where two or more roads intersect, the traffic flows should be added to give a combined total.

Roads with a high flow of buses and/or heavy-duty vehicles

Identify any links where the flow of heavy duty vehicles (> 3.5 tonnes) is likely to be more than 500 vehicles per day.

Action: For any links or intersections identified in STEP 2, proceed to STEP 3. If there are no links or intersections identified in STEP 2, no further assessment is required.

STEP 3: Evaluate likely exposure

Exposure within 5 m of roadside

Are there any parts of the project being assessed where members of the public might be exposed for one hour within 5m of the roadside?

This includes any outdoor areas where the public might reasonably be expected to spend one hour or longer, including (for example) pavements in shopping streets, bus stops, as well as facades of any building where the public might reasonably be expected to spend one hour or longer.

Exposure within 50 m of roadside

Are there any parts of the project being assessed where members of the public might be exposed for 24 hours within 50m of the roadside?

This includes all outdoor locations where members of the public might be regularly exposed, as well as facades of residential properties, schools, hospitals, libraries etc. This does not generally include roadside sites (as opposed to locations at the building facade), or any other location where public exposure is expected to be short term.

Action If the answer is yes to either question, undertake a tier 2 assessment for the links/intersections identified. If there is no relevant public exposure, then no further assessment is required.