Commentary on Sections Part 1: Traffic Officers.Background
18.The Government has charged the Highways Agency with developing its role as strategic road network operator. In pursuance of this the Agency has undertaken, in partnership with the Association of Chief Police Officers, a review of the roles and responsibilities of both the police and the Highways Agency for traffic management on the network. The review concluded that responsibility for a number of tasks associated with traffic management should transfer from the police to the Highways Agency. It recommended that the Highways Agency assume a greater traffic management role and establish:-
	Traffic Officers: On-road officers who would have the powers to stop and direct traffic, and whose main role would be to support road users and keep traffic flowing by implementing traffic management measures.
	Regional Control Centres: Control offices around the network, to be staffed by both the Highways Agency and police, which would monitor and manage traffic on the network and direct on-road resources.
19.On 20th June 2003 the Secretary of State for Transport made a statement to the House of Commons setting out his policy for future management of the network. The statement indicted that the Government endorsed the review and that the Agency would be working with the police and others to implement its recommendations.
20.The Secretary of State has the legal power to establish and operate regional control centres, but primary legislation is required in order to establish traffic officers with traffic management powers.