5 – Policy and guidance

The following local and national guidance are some of the guidelines which shall be used to inform the layout of your new roads and footpaths.

• Development roads and sustainable drainage design approach
• Sustainable Drainage Design and Evaluation Guide
• DEFRA - National standards for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)
• Department for Transport – Manual for Streets
• Department for Transport – Inclusive Mobility
• Department for Transport – Cycle Infrastructure Design (LTN1/20)

The following local and national guidance are some of the guidelines which shall be used to inform the layout for improving public roads and footpaths.

• DEFRA - National standards for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)
• Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB)
• Department for Transport – Inclusive Mobility
• Department for Transport – Cycle Infrastructure Design (LTN1/20)

When planning to build a new road or footpath the impact on public roads and footpaths shall be managed to prevent damage and inconvenience to the public. You must repair or contribute to the repair, of any damage caused by the build and associated traffic.

Surface water shall be controlled during the build to reduce the risk of flooding and pollution to public roads and footpaths, and surrounding land.

A typical plan to manage the build of a new road shall include the following

• Site plan to include the location of temporary offices, materials and equipment storage, storage of waste, vehicle parking for all workers and visitors, and sequence of the build.
• Public road traffic plans and details of routes of all traffic associated with the build with consideration to traffic sensitive areas along the routes such as outside schools.
• Site operation details to include:
• Traffic routes within the site.
• Temporary offices, and storage of equipment and materials.
• Vehicle turning facilities allowing for loading and unloading.
• Parking for site operatives and visitors.
• Wheel washing facilities.
• Waste collection.
• Site opening and closing times.
• Pollution control arrangements including any possible water quality issues.
• Surface water arrangements to prevent runoff onto public roads and footpaths, and adjacent land.
• Scaffolding, skips and hoarding details that are required to be placed on public roads and footpaths.
• Protecting all trees existing and new in accordance with BS 5837:2012 detailing the requirement to avoid contamination and compaction of soil, and protect trees and root systems.

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) are designed to manage surface water in a way that is similar to natural processes and are only effective when completed and maintained. It is essential during the build, SuDS are protected from processes that are not natural such as pollution.

Therefore a method statement is required to include the following:

• Surface water management plans and details during construction which could either be a:
• A permanent drainage system is built early with consideration to routing surface water into the systems, via grips and channels, establishing the outfall and protecting during the build, or
• A temporary drainage system detailing the routing and outfall, or
• An existing drainage system on brownfield land only including pollution control measures.
• Proposed maintenance to include regular clearance of drainage and pumping of attenuation areas where necessary.
• Vegetation management to ensure correct planting in SuDS features with consideration to seasonal planting and grass etc.
• SuDS temporary protection solutions could include:
• Geotextile gully guards
• Removable geotextile layer
• Sediment traps
• Temporary drainage
• Physical barriers
• Diverting construction traffic

You can find further details in the CIRIA SuDS Manual.