DESIGN CRITERIA
SETTING-DOWN LOCATIONS
D3.35.24 The designer and contractor should give consideration to the following when deciding upon a setting-down location.
- Safety — recovered motorists should be protected as far as reasonably practicable from the possibility of involvement in accidents with other traffic. Hence, if possible, the setting-down point should not be located on a high-speed road or alternatively physical barriers should be provided to give some protection from traffic.
- Security — it is important to consider and mitigate as far as practicable any danger to recovered occupants from criminal threat or activity. In remote setting-down locations, it may be necessary to provide staff or CCTV and lighting to safeguard them.
- Facilities — at all setting-down locations there should be telephone facilities to enable recovered motorists to make arrangements for further assistance. However, in circumstances where dedicated telephone facilities are not available the recovery service provided should include making telephone contact on behalf of the recovered motorist.
- In addition to the above requirement the following items are deemed desirable but not essential:
- toilet facilities;
- drinking water facilities; and
- shelter with heat, light and seating.
D3.35.25 The following are typical locations that are currently used as setting-down locations for recovered vehicles and occupants.
- Motorway service areas — the facilities for recovered vehicles and passengers listed above already exist at a service area. Setting down recovered vehicles and passengers at a service area should be considered whenever it is near a road works site. The service area operator should be consulted at the planning stage to ensure that there are no insurmountable problems.
- Local services or garages — checks should be made to ensure facilities are 24 hour and the local police should be consulted to ensure there are no security issues.
- Contractors’ compound — contractors’ compounds may be considered as setting- down locations where they are situated close to the road works site, and there is sufficient land for parking and other facilities. For safety and security, it will generally be necessary to fence off the recovery setting-down area from plant, materials and from any potential health and safety hazards in the compound.
- Winter maintenance compounds — as for contractors' compounds. Operational times may not coincide with the site times causing problems of access/security.
- Temporary lay-by — where there is sufficient highway land, a temporary lay-by behind the hard shoulder may be constructed to accommodate recovered vehicles and passengers. However the construction of the temporary lay-bys may be made impracticable by topographical and land ownership factors. After completion of the road works, temporary lay-bys should be removed
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