Managing Heavy Machinery Moves That Require a Traffic Regulation Order

What is a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO)?

A TRO is a temporary, experimental or permanent restriction enforced by highways authorities to regulate the types of vehicles and traffic allowed access to certain areas.

Some of the most popular uses for TROs are restricting the movements of HGVs in residential areas, implementing parking restrictions and restricting traffic for the purposes of parades, street parties and other events.

Some of the main purposes of a TRO are as follows:

• To avoid or prevent danger to persons or other traffic using the road
• To prevent damage to the road or buildings located near to the road
• To facilitate the safe passage of vehicles and pedestrians
• To prevent the use of the road by unsuitable vehicular traffic

Due to the nature of a heavy machinery moving project, if a TRO is required, it is invariably a temporary TRO that is enforced during the time period of the project. The procedure for making temporary orders is set out in the Road Traffic Procedure Regulations 1992.

When a project is subject to a TRO, Merritts will make all the necessary arrangements by completing the required documentation and submitting the application for you to ensure everything runs smoothly and meets the required regulatory conditions.

The process we follow is to conduct a preliminary site visit to evaluate any potential problems that might affect the safe movement of vehicles. We then make an application to the relevant highways authority who must publish a notice of their intention to make an order in a local newspaper and in the vicinity of the affected area. This also means that the police are informed.

Then, within 14 days after making the order, the highways authority must publish another notice in a local newspaper and in the vicinity of the affected area stating that the order has been granted.

Once the paperwork is in place and a project date approved, Merritts will ensure any necessary traffic signage is displayed and carry out the machinery moving project safely and in line with our method statement.

If you have any upcoming machinery moving projects where dedicated planning and project management services are required, please get in touch.

You may also like to read our top tips for ‘planning a heavy machinery moving project’ and ‘health and safety guide to moving heavy machinery’.