Do you know the difference between traffic control and traffic management?

Businesses have an obligation to ensure sites are safe. This is a fact, regardless of the site's nature. To achieve the best results, they likely need to think about traffic control and traffic management. There is a lot to consider here, including the differences between both terms. We want to look at this today to explore how you can get the best results. Then, if you need to order products to help with controlling and managing traffic, we have a great selection to choose from.

Managing traffic

To start off, let's look at the broader term - traffic management. What you have here is a plan to ensure the site operates safely on a day to day basis. To achieve this, you need to be clear on how different vehicles and people on foot move around. Safety and efficiency needs to be the priority.

There are a number of crucial factors to include in traffic management plans. For example, think about large delivery vehicles and plant. How will everything move around the site? Ideally you want it to be at times when there is the lowest risk to encounter people on foot. So, you may want to include a schedule in the plan that says what hours larger vehicles and plant can be on site and moving around.

Every good traffic management plan should also include details of when sites will be busiest. This is when there will be the highest risk of accidents. Ideally there should be extra measures to maintain safety levels when it gets busier, especially with things like car parks.

It is also a really good idea to include access to surrounding roads in a traffic management plan. The goal should be to minimise disruption because the more there is, the more dangerous it becomes and higher the risk of accidents. Consider how vehicles will enter and exit the site. Do they need to enter busy roads or cross live lanes of traffic?

Controlling traffic

While management is the overall plan, traffic control is the specific measures you will use to ensure people adhere to it. There are plenty of different tools you can use here. Common examples include signage, signals, and road markings. A combination of them and other products can maximise safety.

One thing you probably want to consider is speed bumps. Most traffic management plans will include speed limits. They are a great way to reduce the chance of accidents, forcing vehicles to slow down so drivers have more time to react. Bumps are great here, but you must ensure they are suitable for the vehicles using the site.

Traffic controls can also include human elements. For example, a site may benefit from having a parking warden to ensure people follow the rules. It can also be useful sometimes to have guards at the entrance who can send on messages before vehicles enter a site. This can allow other people on site to take actions such as clearing an area.

You should decide what measures you need to control traffic on all parts of a site. Also, consider how you may need to adapt them in time. For example, if you change the layout, old road markings may need to be removed and replaced and lights/signs likely need to be moved. Don't give conflicting info or you can cause accidents.

Do you want to order quality traffic control products?

Using quality products is essential if you want to keep people safe. You shouldn't cut corners, else you risk issues or flaws in traffic management plans.

Barrier Mart has a fantastic selection of tools you can rely on. They include barriers, bollards, speed bumps, corner guards, and much more. You can buy from us with confidence. There is even the option to order on our website. So, why not browse for traffic control products today? Or, if you need help, you can contact us.