What is Chapter 8?

Chapter 8 Standards are designed by the Department for Transport primarily for highway maintenance in the UK. It provides guidelines to facilitate traffic safety measures, highway maintenance and temporary road situations.

The objective of the Chapter 8 Standards is to ensure all works and temporary situations are planned for, and safety is optimised for all workers and users.

It is essential that Chapter 8 Standards minimise congestion, delay and inconvenience to road users during temporary traffic management arrangements.

The primary objectives of the Chapter 8 Standards is:

 To provide a clear and early warning of highway obstructions

• To create a safety zone for workers 
• To provide clear directions for road users - traffic signs 
• To minimise the risk of conflict between users and road workers
• To ensure correct speed limits and restrictions are displayed 

What does the Chapter 8 Standard class as a road user? 

 A "road user" or "traffic" is classed as any motorised user and any non-motorised user.  

Non-motorised users include pedestrians, cyclists and horses. Motorised vehicles would then be cars, motorbikes and heavy goods vehicles. 

What do Chapter 8 standards class as road works? 

Road works are any works or temporary restrictions that obstruct the road or highway. 

Road works include:

• excavations
• road improvement schemes 
• structural work
• maintenance work
• street works 

Areas covered by Chapter 8 include: 

• highway
• verge
• hard shoulder
• footway 
• cycleway
• carriageway
• bridleway

Temporary traffic management arrangements

We can only offer a brief overview of chapter 8 and the traffic signs manual due to the complexities and uniqueness of each situation you come across on uk roads.

Chapter 8 regulations are lengthy and complex, and it is essential to meet the legal requirements and the recommended traffic safety measures provided in all chapter 8 manuals.

Traffic signs manual

We have created links to the official chapter 8 manuals for easy access:

• chapter 8 part 1 - design - traffic signs manual
• chapter 8 part 2 - operations - traffic signs manual
• chapter 8 part 3 - update - traffic sign manual

The complete code of practice, also known as "the red book", has been published by the department for transport.

Safety at street works and road works - a code of practice

The trusty traffic cone plays a considerable part in traffic control for pedestrians, public traffic, maintenance vehicles and temporary traffic management vehicles. Vast amounts of planning goes into cone laying adaptation to ensure appropriate safety markings are in place to be followed and Chapter 8 compliant.

Traffic cones and barriers provide users with a clear indication of what path they should take.

Chapter 8 provides best practices and requirements for traffic cones and offers many scenarios, including high-speed roads, daytime visibility, night time visibility, lighting, cone spacing, and traffic cone size and type.

A typical chapter 8 compliant traffic cone conforms to BSEN13422 and typically includes retro-reflective material.

Chapter 8 compliant road cones come in different sizes, and a typical size would be 500mm traffic cone and 750mm traffic cone.

Chapter 8 safety barriers 

Barriers are ideal for protecting all users from obstructions.Chapter 8 pedestrian barriers are regularly used during highway maintenance to restrict pedestrian flow away from the obstruction.

The type of pedestrian barrier under chapter 8 compliant regulations is subject to a risk assessment.

Lightweight barriers are more frequently used to delineate an inner boundary of a safety zone and ensure users follow the set path safely.

Chapter 8 barriers generally include

• high visibility rear markings
• high visibility front markings
• anti trip feet
• effective connection systems
• british standard approval

Chapter 8 regulations are renowned for detail and extend further into areas such as maintenance vehicles, recovery trucks, rear chevrons and vehicle chevron stripe details. 

For more information on Chapter 8 compliance rules, visit chapter 8 manual pages.

Our specialist team can help with approved chapter 8 traffic management products.