Managing traffic and improving safety
We manage traffic in different ways to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
Speed limits
Driving speed plays a big part in the cause and severity of road accidents. You must not drive faster than the speed limit for the type of road and your type of vehicle.
There is an automatic 30mph limit in urban areas with street lights.
In other areas the national limit applies unless a formal order has been made to set a different speed limit. Go to GOV.UK: speed limits.
The speed limit is the absolute maximum – it doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive at this speed in all conditions.
Speed humps and other traffic calming
Types of traffic calming include:
- speed humps
- mini roundabouts
- coloured surfacing
- signing
- chicanes
We use information from the police to decide where traffic calming is needed and what type to use. Roads, junctions and residential areas are ranked according numbers of personal injury accidents occurring there. The areas ranked highest receive traffic calming first.
Speed humps are a very effective means of controlling vehicle speeds and have been used widely throughout the borough to decrease the numbers of personal injury accidents. They are also used in 20mph zones.
Traffic signals
Traffic signals, traffic lights or stoplights are used at road junctions, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control the flow of traffic. Types of traffic signal in Thurrock include:
- signal-controlled junctions
- pedestrian crossings – Puffin or Pelican signals
- cycle crossings – Toucan signals
The most critical signals are linked to an Urban Traffic Control system in Chelmsford.
Signal maintenance is operational 24 hours a day. When a fault is reported or detected by the controller, action is taken to fix the fault. Urgent faults are acted upon within 4 hours and non-urgent 8 hours.
Pedestrian crossings
We receive many requests for new crossings. When assessing locations, we consider:
- the number of people crossing
- the amount of traffic
- numbers of injures on the road near the site
- nearby features such as schools and shops
Traffic management enquiries
Contact us below if you have any questions about traffic management in Thurrock.