NSW Roadside NSW Roadside Environment CommitteeEnvironment Committee

How To Determine Clear Zones How To Determine Clear Zones On Minor RoadsOn Minor Roads

What are linear reserves?What are linear reserves?- Roadsides > 2.5 million ha- Travelling stock routes (TSR’s) – 2.27m ha- Public utility corridors > 400,000 ha- Rail corridors > 35,000 ha

The total is estimated at two thirds of the total land area of National Parks in NSW

Issues in managing linear Issues in managing linear reserve environmentsreserve environments

Include:•Fire Management

• Weed Management

• Safety vs Environment

• Preservation of EECs & Threatened Species

•Illegal firewood collection

NSW Roadside Environment NSW Roadside Environment CommitteeCommittee

What does it do?What does it do?

• Provides support, advice and resources to linear Provides support, advice and resources to linear reserve managersreserve managers

• Promotes best practice management of these Promotes best practice management of these environmentsenvironments

• Provides education to the broader community about the Provides education to the broader community about the importance of linear reserve environments in NSWimportance of linear reserve environments in NSW

REC activities - RVMPsREC activities - RVMPs

Roadside Vegetation Management Plans Roadside Vegetation Management Plans (RVMPs)(RVMPs)

Four stages of development:Four stages of development:• AssessmentAssessment• PlanningPlanning• ImplementationImplementation• Monitoring and EvaluationMonitoring and Evaluation

RVMPs in NSWRVMPs in NSW

REC activities – RVMP GuidesREC activities – RVMP Guides

REC activities - SignageREC activities - Signage

• High conservation roadsides need to be marked with adequate signage to warn workers, highlight and promote awareness of roadside features and provide a contact for further information.

• Also need related training for staff in environmental management• And community understanding through a consultation process

Minor RoadsMinor Roads

Road safety & treesRoad safety & trees

Statistically, vehicles are much more likely to Statistically, vehicles are much more likely to leave the roadway along a curveleave the roadway along a curve

In rural areas, it is trees that are most frequently In rural areas, it is trees that are most frequently hit by errant vehicles in run-of-road (RoR) hit by errant vehicles in run-of-road (RoR) crashes.crashes.

These types of crashes comprise almost 15% of These types of crashes comprise almost 15% of all fatal crashes in NSW all fatal crashes in NSW

Almost 40% of fixed object fatal crashes occur Almost 40% of fixed object fatal crashes occur on local roads (both urban and rural)on local roads (both urban and rural)

Clear ZonesClear Zones

The width of the roadside beginning at the edge of the The width of the roadside beginning at the edge of the travelled way, that is made available for a driver of an travelled way, that is made available for a driver of an errant vehicle to take corrective action in an emergencyerrant vehicle to take corrective action in an emergency

Managing clear zonesManaging clear zones

Clear zone distances are usually set according Clear zone distances are usually set according to predicted traffic volumes, speed and road to predicted traffic volumes, speed and road geometry. The width takes into account local site geometry. The width takes into account local site factors including widths of adjacent lanes, factors including widths of adjacent lanes, shoulders, medians, footways, batters etc.shoulders, medians, footways, batters etc.

Tree removal will be a commonly used strategy Tree removal will be a commonly used strategy to reduce the severity of a RoR crashto reduce the severity of a RoR crash

Value of the environmentValue of the environment

Environmental and ecologicalEnvironmental and ecological

• Native Remnants• Maintenance of ecosystems and threatened

species• Ecological corridors and environmental

connectivity through a landscape• Prevents land degradation• Climate change values including carbon

sinks and adaptation of Ecologically

Endangered Communities (EEC’s)

Value of the environmentValue of the environment

EconomicEconomic• First and foremost provide transport

routes for road users and stock • Grazing areas for stock during drought• Support public utilities such as gas,

electricity and telecommunications• Space for stockpiling and machines

during construction and maintenance• Other activities such as fire control • Future possibility of carbon credits

Value of the environmentValue of the environment

SocialSocial

• Cultural and social values• Visually appealing – improves the

character and sense of place and provides

landscape representation• Contain Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal

heritage items• Recreational use for road trips and drives

Existing guidesExisting guides

REC researchREC research

Provides guidance on how to objectively assess Provides guidance on how to objectively assess the level of safety versus environmental risk the level of safety versus environmental risk within a particular minor road segmentwithin a particular minor road segment

The approach does not rely on any overarching The approach does not rely on any overarching principles about the safety of road users having principles about the safety of road users having precedence over the conservation of native precedence over the conservation of native vegetation, or vice versavegetation, or vice versa

Three-step assessmentThree-step assessment

Step one: Assess environmental value – by rating Step one: Assess environmental value – by rating various attributes of the tree or vegetation stand.various attributes of the tree or vegetation stand.

Step two: Assess road safety hazard risk– by identifying Step two: Assess road safety hazard risk– by identifying the relevant safety factors and then calculating a ‘risk the relevant safety factors and then calculating a ‘risk score’ using a simple Excel spreadsheet containing a score’ using a simple Excel spreadsheet containing a series of look-up tables for each factor.series of look-up tables for each factor.

Step three: Select the most balanced treatment – using Step three: Select the most balanced treatment – using the guidance provided by the Environmental Value-the guidance provided by the Environmental Value-Safety Risk Matrix and accompanying guidelines.Safety Risk Matrix and accompanying guidelines.

TestingTesting

ARRB Group engaged by the NSW Roadside ARRB Group engaged by the NSW Roadside Environment Committee for initial report and Environment Committee for initial report and spreadsheetspreadsheet

IPWEA Roads & Transport Directorate IPWEA Roads & Transport Directorate undertook a project to trial the spreadsheet & undertook a project to trial the spreadsheet & made recommendations for its improvementmade recommendations for its improvement

Available for your Council to test and useAvailable for your Council to test and use

ContactsContacts• Website: http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/about/what-we-do/committees/roadside-Website: http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/about/what-we-do/committees/roadside-

environment-committee.htmlenvironment-committee.html

• Mailing List: Join the REC mailing list to receive a quarterly update on Mailing List: Join the REC mailing list to receive a quarterly update on activities, training, publications, case studies and lots more. Contact the activities, training, publications, case studies and lots more. Contact the Executive Officer.Executive Officer.

• Enquiries: Any enquiries should be directed to the Executive Officer who will Enquiries: Any enquiries should be directed to the Executive Officer who will provide seek the relevant information from the most appropriate committee provide seek the relevant information from the most appropriate committee membermember

• Administration: Administration: The REC has independent administration through environmental consultants Molino Stewart.The REC has independent administration through environmental consultants Molino Stewart.Contact: Neil DuftyContact: Neil DuftyExecutive Officer NSW RECExecutive Officer NSW RECPhone (02) 9354 0300Phone (02) 9354 0300Mobile 0427 130 283Mobile 0427 130 283Email: ndufty@molinostewart.com.au Email: ndufty@molinostewart.com.au 

Any questionsAny questions