TRF/Site Traffic/TBT-TRF-005

Wheel Washing and Road Cleanliness

Traffic Management › Site Traffic › Wheel Washing and Road Cleanliness

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

Mud and debris on public roads from site vehicles is a serious road safety hazard.
Contaminated roads cause skidding, collisions, and endanger cyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians.
Section 148 of the Highways Act 1980 makes it an offence to deposit mud on a public highway.
Wheel wash facilities must be provided at site exits where mud tracking is a risk.
Wheel wash systems include drive-through baths, jet wash stations, and automated systems.
Road sweeping must be arranged when wheel washing alone cannot prevent mud on the highway.
Haul road surfaces and site access roads should be maintained to reduce mud generation.
Environmental permits may require specific controls to prevent silt entering drains from wheel wash.
Planning conditions often require wheel wash facilities as a condition of construction consent.
Local highway authorities can issue enforcement notices and clean-up costs to offending contractors.

Public safety	Mud on roads causes skidding and collisions that can kill road users.
Legal liability	Depositing mud on highways is a criminal offence with fines and enforcement.
Community relations	Dirty roads generate complaints and damage the contractor's reputation.
Environmental duty	Silt-laden runoff from wheel wash can pollute watercourses if uncontrolled.

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See also: Site Speed Limits and Route Planning | Delivery Vehicle Management

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