Background and Policy Objectives
3.The current framework for managing traffic restrictions and road closures to enable works on roads to take place is contained in various pieces of primary legislation for which the Department for Regional Development, as road authority, has responsibility. These are the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993, the Street Works (Northern Ireland Order 1995, the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 and the Traffic Management (Northern Ireland) Order 2005.
4.The Department’s functions as road authority are exercised, on its behalf, by Roads Service.
5.The Act introduces arrangements for a permit scheme to control certain works on roads and for the authorisation, largely by district councils, of certain events on roads. It also introduces, to the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, a power to hold inquiries and it amends the Traffic Management (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 to take account of changes that have taken place in the functions of both the Lord Chancellor’s Office and that of the Lord Chief Justice.