> Disclaimer: SiteKiln gives you plain-English information, not legal or health and safety advice. Always follow your site-specific risk assessments and talk to a qualified professional.
The short version
CDM says you have to plan, manage and monitor the site so traffic routes are suitable and safe; HSE's construction traffic guidance then adds the obvious bit: keep people and vehicles apart wherever you reasonably can.
HSG144 wraps it up as "safe site, safe vehicle, safe driver" -- decent layout and segregation, fit-for-purpose and well-kept kit, and drivers who are trained and under control.
What the law actually says
Two strands hit you:
CDM 2015 (Reg 27 -- traffic routes):
- Traffic routes must be suitable for the persons or vehicles using them, sufficient in number, in suitable positions and of sufficient size.
- They must be arranged so vehicles and pedestrians can use them without danger to people nearby.
Workplace transport law and HSE guidance:
- HSE's workplace transport and construction traffic pages say you must organise the site so vehicles and pedestrians using site routes can move around safely.
- That means a risk assessment of all vehicle movements, including deliveries and less frequent tasks, then fixing layout, rules and controls.
If you're the principal contractor or the main/only contractor, that duty sits squarely with you.
Keeping people and plant apart (the big one)
HSE say most construction transport accidents come from poor separation of pedestrians and vehicles.
Key expectations:
Separate routes where possible
- Separate entry/exit for vehicles and pedestrians.
- Firm, level, well-drained walkways taking the direct route people naturally want to use ("desire lines").
- Where they cross vehicle routes, clearly signed and lit crossings where both sides can see each other.
Barriers and markings
- Barriers/guard rails or kerbs between roads and walkways, at building entrances/corners and to stop people stepping straight into traffic.
- Road markings and signs (speed limits, one-way, give way, crossings) that look and feel like a road, not a free-for-all.
Visibility
- Good sight lines at junctions, gates and pedestrian crossings; no stacked palettes or cabins blocking the driver's view.
- Make sure drivers leaving site can see up and down the pavement before they nose out.
If you can get plant and people physically separated for most of the day, you've done the hardest bit.
Safe site, safe vehicle, safe driver
HSG144 and HSG136 break it into three buckets:
Safe site
- One-way systems and turning areas where you can, to avoid reversing.
- Designated loading/unloading, waste and delivery areas, away from busy walkways.
- Speed limits, physical calming (ramps, narrowing), good lighting and decent surfaces.
Safe vehicle
- Appropriate plant for the job and terrain, with working brakes, lights, mirrors, beacons, reversing alarms and, where needed, cameras or other aids.
- FOPS/ROPS, seat belts used, steps/handholds and non-slip surfaces where people climb on/off.
- Regular checks and maintenance, with defects taken seriously -- not just a note in a book and keep using it.
Safe driver
- Competent, trained operators for plant and lift trucks; refreshed every few years or when work changes.
- Clear rules on licences, fitness for work, drugs and alcohol, and phone use in cabs.
- Visitors and delivery drivers briefed on site rules and escorted where needed.
What this means for you on a small site
Even with just a few machines and vans, you should:
- Draw a simple traffic plan: where vehicles come in, park, load and turn; where pedestrians walk; where crossings are; which way you want traffic flowing.
- Put it into reality with barriers, fencing, cones, paint and signs -- and keep routes clear of materials so people don't get forced into the road.
- Decide who's allowed to drive what, and brief everyone (including delivery drivers) at induction: route, speed, where to wait, who banks them in.
- Use banksmen and exclusion zones for high-risk moves (tower cranes, telehandlers in tight yards, reversing HGVs) and stop jobs if people wander into plant's blind spots.
If your site looks like a car park at a boot sale -- no walkways, no rules, everyone walking between moving plant -- it's a long way from what CDM and HSG144 expect.
Quick check: is traffic managed on this site?
On your site today, ask:
Routes: Are vehicle routes and pedestrian walkways clearly laid out, in sensible places, and kept clear so people aren't forced to walk in the road?
Separation: Where plant runs regularly, are people physically separated by barriers/kerbs/fencing as much as practicable, with only controlled crossing points?
Visibility and control: Are speeds low, sight lines good at gates/corners/crossings, and is reversing minimised (one-way systems, turning areas, banksmen where needed)?
Rules and drivers: Do drivers and pedestrians get a clear briefing on traffic rules at induction, and is it obvious who can drive what on site?
If you're saying "no" to more than one, your traffic management isn't where UK HSE expect it to be.
What to do next
- Draw a simple traffic plan for your current site: where vehicles come in, park, load and turn; where pedestrians walk; where crossings are.
- Put up barriers or fencing between vehicle routes and pedestrian walkways -- even cones and tape are better than nothing.
- Brief every delivery driver at the gate: where to go, how fast, who banks them in.
- Set a site speed limit and make it visible -- most HSE-inspected sites run at 5-10 mph.
- Use banksmen for all reversing manoeuvres near people, especially with HGVs and telehandlers in tight spaces.
Sources
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 -- Reg 27: traffic routes must be suitable and safe.
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 -- general duties.
- Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 -- traffic route requirements.
- HSG144 -- Safe use of vehicles on construction sites.
- HSE -- Separating pedestrians and vehicles guidance.
Disclaimer
This guide is general information for small UK construction businesses and trades, not formal legal or traffic management advice.
SiteKiln is not a law firm and this page is not a substitute for getting advice on your specific situation.
Health and safety law and HSE guidance on construction traffic management are updated from time to time, and how they apply will always depend on the exact facts on your site and your role.
If you're dealing with a serious transport incident, enforcement notice or complex site layout, get specific advice from a competent health and safety professional and/or solicitor before you make big decisions.
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