The TMA1000 Works form (and TMA API) has some functionality that will automatically set the duration type of some phases to ‘Calendar Days’ rather than the usual default of ‘Days (Working)’. This is done to try and ensure the correct end date is ‘suggested’ in the Actual End Date field when a phase is still in progress. Please note the data shown in the Duration and Duration Type fields are never sent in an EToN notice, these are additional information fields only. EToN notices only contain the start and end dates, which means the date shown in a field is the date that will be sent in a notice.

When inputting the details for the new permit (via the TMA1000 Works form or the TMA API), the user can enter the start and end dates and let the application calculate the duration, or enter a start date and duration and let the application calculate the end date. In order to calculate the correct duration the application needs to check the street details to see if the permit must have a fixed permit period.

As per the Code of Practice for Permits 2008, if a permit declares a street which has a reinstatement category of type 3 or 4, and is not traffic sensitive, then the permit does not have a fixed period and the start date is allowed to slip (up to 5 days depending on the works category) while maintaining the ‘reasonable period’. If the permit declares a street which has a reinstatement category of type 0, 1 or 2, or is traffic sensitive at any time, then the permit period is fixed, meaning the end date is fixed unless a variation is applied for. For further reference see section 11.2 (page 71) of the CoP for Permits 2008, which can be obtained here. This calculation is then reflected in the Latest Date fields once a permit application notice has been issued.

 To help clarify this feature we will start with some examples where a user needs to request a permit for the 1^st to the 3^rd of June 2014. The 1^st of June is a non-working day, but the 2^nd and 3^rd are working days.

Example 1 - Category 4 street (not traffic sensitive) and works starting on a non-working day

In this example we have used a street which allows the start date to slip and this is highlighted in the Latest Date fields once the application has been issued. As the start date can slip in this scenario, the reasonable period is calculated by the number of working days, predominately for section 74 purposes as per the CoP.

Next we need to send an actual start notice. To do this we enter the Actual Start Date and the application then automatically populates the ‘suggested’ Actual End Date field in anticipation of the Works Stop notice by looking at:

• The estimated start and end dates of the application

• The Actual Start Date

• The latest dates (to see if it a fixed permit period applies)

 

 

Example 2 – A traffic sensitive street (or reinstatement category 0, 1 or 2) and works starting on a non-working day

In this example we will also show a difference between works promoter systems where the notices are sent, and authority systems where the notices are received.

Works Promoter System:

Here we have used a street which does not allow the start date to slip, which is then reflected in the Latest Date fields once the permit application has been issued. As the start date cannot slip in this scenario, as per the CoP for Permits the reasonable period is calculated by the number of calendar days between the working dates originally applied for.

In the screenshot below we have entered the working dates but have not yet issued the application (no phase status is shown): 

In this scenario once the permit application is issued, the software updates the duration type to calendar days and populates the latest dates to reflect the fixed permit period:

Next we want to start the works and send an actual start notice. If we started on the 1^st as planned, the suggested Actual End Date would reflect the Estimated End Date as usual. However not all works start on the planned start date, so in this example to show you what happens we will start late on the 2^nd. It is still ok to start the works late as we are still working within the period applied for, but as this permit has a fixed period, the Actual End Date must be the Estimated End Date unless a variation is applied for separately. This fixed end date is reflected in the suggested Actual End Date field once the Actual Start Date is populated:

Authority System:

On authority systems where notices are received, it was decided that in this fixed permit period scenario the application should behave slightly differently and retain the original duration when calculating the suggested Actual End Date. The application does this as it expects the works promoter still needs the same number of days to complete the works and so it is very likely the promoter will apply for a variation to extend the permit period.

 

Example 3 – A traffic sensitive street and works finish on a non-working day       

This is similar to example 2 but this time we will use different dates to start on a working day and end on a non-working day. In this example we start the works a day later than the estimated start date, but as it is a fixed date permit, the suggested Actual End Date remains the same. The application is able to do this because the duration is being calculated in Calendar Days. If the duration type was set to Days (working), the suggested Actual End Date would be calculated as the 6^th of June – see example 4.

 

 

Example 4 - Category 4 street which is not traffic sensitive and works finish on a non-working day

This is similar to example 1 but this time the works are planned to start on a working day and end on a non-working day. Once we populate the Actual Start Date field to send an actual start notice, the application calculates the suggested Actual End Date using the duration between the estimated dates. As the duration type was set to 2 Days (working) and the Actual Start Date was the Thursday the 5^th of June, the suggested Actual End Date is calculated to be Friday the 6^th of June. This hasn’t reduced your permit by a day, it has simply calculated the suggested Actual End Date using the Actual Start Date, estimated duration and duration type entered. In this example you could still work on the 7^th of June if required, but you will need to update the suggested Actual End Date before sending a Works Stop notice.

 

Example 5 - Category 4 street which is not traffic sensitive and works slide over a weekend

In this example we show how a works can slide over a weekend, however you should be aware that some permit authorities may impose a permit condition to say that you cannot work on the non-working days in this scenario.

The permit application is sent requesting Thursday the 5^th June until Friday the 6^th June. As this permit does not have a fixed permit period, we can start the works late on Friday the 6^th June and the End Date could then be Monday the 9^th June.