❓ Hon Ken Travers asks about malfunctioning traffic lights at a major intersection and the deployment of traffic management crews. The Minister responds with details on the cause of the malfunction, traffic management protocols, and statistics on response times.
AnsweredQoN 1538Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) I refer to malfunctioning traffic lights at the intersection of Main Street and Scarborough Beach Road on 23 and 24 June 2014, and ask: (a) what was the cause of the malfunction; (b) can the Minister confirm that a traffic management crew was not sent to the intersection; (c) what was the reason a traffic management crew was not sent; and (d) what is the criteria for determining what is a
highly congested intersection? (2) How many traffic management crews did Main Roads have in: (a) 2011-12; (b) 2012-13; and (c) 2013-14?
highly congested intersection? (2) How many traffic management crews did Main Roads have in: (a) 2011-12; (b) 2012-13; and (c) 2013-14?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2014
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Transport
Response time
35 days
(1)(a) An intermittent fault caused the traffic signals to fall back into the flashing yellow safety mode as designed.
(b) Yes.
(c) Traffic Management is not routinely deployed to intersections where a traffic signal fault has been reported.
(d) The level of congestion is assessed by a measure known as Level of Service. The Level of Service (LOS) for intersections is defined in the Transportation Research Board Highway Capacity Manual - Special Report 209 (2000) as the average vehicle delay.
(2)(a) During 2011-12, the initial response to emergencies on the network was carried out by the maintenance crews with a follow up from a sub-contracted Traffic Management Company. There were seven maintenance trucks and crews capable of setting out emergency traffic management during this period. These trucks control the immediate scene whilst sub-contracted Traffic Management resources are put in place. For 2011-12, 340 out of 346 responses or 98.2% were within the specified one hour response time.
(b) During 2012-13, the same arrangements were in place. For 2012-13, 382 out of 385 responses or 99.2% were within the specified one hour response time.
(c) During 2013-14 new arrangements were introduced. Initial response was provided by seven maintenance trucks and crews as well as three Incident Response Crews with a follow up from sub-contracted Traffic Management Companies. Five Traffic Management Companies were engaged under a panel contract arrangement. For 2013-14, 350 out of 351 responses, or 99.7% were within the specified one hour response time.
(b) Yes.
(c) Traffic Management is not routinely deployed to intersections where a traffic signal fault has been reported.
(d) The level of congestion is assessed by a measure known as Level of Service. The Level of Service (LOS) for intersections is defined in the Transportation Research Board Highway Capacity Manual - Special Report 209 (2000) as the average vehicle delay.
(2)(a) During 2011-12, the initial response to emergencies on the network was carried out by the maintenance crews with a follow up from a sub-contracted Traffic Management Company. There were seven maintenance trucks and crews capable of setting out emergency traffic management during this period. These trucks control the immediate scene whilst sub-contracted Traffic Management resources are put in place. For 2011-12, 340 out of 346 responses or 98.2% were within the specified one hour response time.
(b) During 2012-13, the same arrangements were in place. For 2012-13, 382 out of 385 responses or 99.2% were within the specified one hour response time.
(c) During 2013-14 new arrangements were introduced. Initial response was provided by seven maintenance trucks and crews as well as three Incident Response Crews with a follow up from sub-contracted Traffic Management Companies. Five Traffic Management Companies were engaged under a panel contract arrangement. For 2013-14, 350 out of 351 responses, or 99.7% were within the specified one hour response time.
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