1Introduction#

This manual is issued under the authority of Section 166 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. The contents of this manual are issued as an 'approved notice' under Section 166(2) of said Act.

1.1Aim#

This manual seeks to provide statewide applicable standards and guidance on the provision of Traffic Incident Management Services (TIMS) that support the Open Roads policy from a service delivery, operations and management perspective. It is not intended to be prescriptive to the level of process or procedure for district operations.

While the focus of TIMS and the types of TIMS provided will vary across the state, the goals of optimising safety (for both road users and TIMS providers) and reducing incident-related network impact are common.

Whether deployed in an urban or rural setting, it is necessary that any region / district providing TIMS meets the requirements as outlined in this manual.

1.2Scope and content#

This manual covers key operating requirements, authorities, general information and guidance on deploying TIMS but not funding of these services.

It does not cover the technology behind (for example, CCTV, STREAMS), or operations of, a traffic management centre (TMC) or regional office, nor the management or publication of traffic and travel information (TTI), nor disaster or critical incident management.

1.3Use (applicability)#

Users of this information may include departmental officers, and contractors, involved in the resourcing, management and operation of TIMS performed by the department and contracted agents providing TIMS on behalf of the department.

Whilst guidance is provided for state-controlled roads only, to seek consistent statewide approach to TIMS, local governments and other road operators are encouraged to use this manual as a base for their service delivery where practical.

For Queensland, it should be read in conjunction with:

• Transport and Main Roads policies, in particular Open Roads Policy (2009)
• Queensland Guide to Traffic Management Part 9 Transport Control Systems – Strategies and Operations
• Queensland Guide to Traffic Management Part 10 Transport Control – Types of Devices
• Queensland Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
• Transport and Main Roads Technical Notes.

1.4Referenced legislation#

The following legislation has been referenced within the body of this manual:

• Tow Truck Act 1973
• Tow Truck Regulation 2009
• Transport Infrastructure Act 1994
• Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995
• Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Accreditation and Other Provisions) Regulation 2015
• Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Driver Licensing) Regulation 2010
• Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Road Rules) Regulation 2009
• Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2021
• Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 2021
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2011
• Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990
• Ambulance Service Act 1991.

1.5Traffic incident management#

Traffic incident management is defined as the systematic, planned and coordinated use of human, institutional, mechanical and technical resources to reduce the duration and impact of incidents, and improve the safety of motorists, crash victims and incident responders.

The use of these resources intends to:

• increase safety and operating efficiency
• minimise the impact of incidents on the road network
• reduce the overall duration of an incident through implementing appropriate response
• support Emergency Services.

1.6Open Roads policy#

The department is committed to optimising safety and reducing incident-related impact on the road network by expediently clearing incidents to restore traffic flow at the earliest possible time.

Open Roads consists of legislation, policies and manuals, and a range of services that enable the Queensland Government to carry out safe and timely removal of obstructions, including vehicles, loads and other things from Queensland roads. Open Roads aims to remove the dangers associated with these obstructions across the network as quickly and safely as possible, in order to restore the normal flow of traffic.

1.7What are Traffic Incident Management Services?#

TIMS are on-road service activities undertaken by Transport and Main Roads officers, or their contracted agents, that support the intent and desired outcomes of the Open Roads policy. TIMS facilitate effective traffic management around an incident scene and assist in the efficient clearance of traffic incidents. TIMS activities are often performed under the direction of a delegated officer acting under Part 4C of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. A complete TIMS program comprises the necessary personnel, training, equipment and operations to reduce the impact and duration of incidents and thereby reduce overall network impact. An effective program requires highly-trained personnel who may use specifically-equipped vehicles and/or tools to respond to traffic incidents.

1.8Network servicing#

Ultimately, it would be desirable for the services to be available across the whole network 24-hours per day, seven-days per week; however, as resources are not infinite, service areas and attendance need to be prioritised. Regions should offer TIMS based on risk, resource availability and operational requirements. Areas considered for priority servicing include:

• roads with a critical level of congestion (measured by duration of congestion)
• roads with a critical level of incidents (measured by duration of incidents)
• critical sections of roads or infrastructure, such as key river crossings, major interchanges, bus and high-occupancy vehicle lanes, tunnels and so on
• roads of significance to the freight and tourism industries and transport corridors
• roads of significance in connecting regional communities.

1.9Service and activities#

There are a number of established services available in the area of Traffic Incident Management. Although the service requirements are identified locally, generally, they are split into the following:

• Traffic Response
• Stationary Vehicle Management (including abandoned)
• Incident Response (1st response); and
• Emergency Clean-up and make safe (2nd response).

These services, with the exception of ‘Emergency Clean-up and make safe’ are discussed in this manual. For more information on ‘Emergency Clean-up and make safe’, refer to the Routine Maintenance Guidelines.

1.10Open Roads and incident management agency roles#

It is the department’s responsibility, along with a number of other agencies, to take any necessary steps to reduce delays and risk associated with incidents, including secondary crashes, abandoned or broken-down vehicles, loads or other things.

There are currently Memoranda of Understanding and Protocols in place that clearly define the various roles and responsibilities of the various agencies involved in incident management. This manual does not look to replace them but merely provide an overview.