If your council, builder or project manager has asked for a traffic plan, the first challenge can be working out which document they actually need.
A Traffic Guidance Scheme (TGS) shows the temporary traffic control layout. Traffic Control Plan (TCP) is the older name for that drawing. A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) explains the broader arrangements for managing traffic risks and impacts. A Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) focuses on the traffic generated and affected by construction.
These documents often work together. The confusion comes when the names are used interchangeably—particularly when a council asks for a “traffic management plan” but is seeking the drawing now called a TGS.
This guide explains the differences in a NSW context, how to clarify council requirements, and why your project may need more than one document.
Traffic planning documents at a glance
| Term | Meaning | Main purpose |
|---|---|---|
| TCP | Traffic Control Plan | Older terminology for the temporary traffic control drawing now called a TGS. |
| TGS | Traffic Guidance Scheme | Shows the placement of signs, devices and other controls for a particular traffic arrangement. |
| TMP | Traffic Management Plan | Explains how traffic risks, access, responsibilities and operational arrangements will be managed. |
| CTMP | Construction Traffic Management Plan | Addresses construction traffic, site access and effects on the surrounding road network and community. |
A TGS may form part of a TMP or CTMP. Whether these are submitted together or separately depends on the project and the approving authority. [1–4]
What is a Traffic Control Plan and has TGS replaced TCP?
Yes. In current NSW temporary traffic management terminology, Traffic Guidance Scheme has replaced Traffic Control Plan as the name for the traffic control layout drawing. North Sydney Council explicitly identifies a TGS as the document previously known as a TCP. [1]
You will still encounter “TCP” in council guides, development conditions and project paperwork. For example, the City of Sydney’s CTMP preparation guide still refers to traffic control plans, while North Sydney’s guide uses traffic guidance schemes. [3, 4]
For someone searching for a “traffic control plan in Sydney”, the service they are usually looking for is TGS preparation. The change in terminology does not, by itself, mean two separate drawings are required.
It also does not make an old drawing suitable for a new job. The layout still needs to match the proposed activity, current site conditions, applicable standards and approval requirements.
What is a Traffic Guidance Scheme?
A Traffic Guidance Scheme is the drawing that shows how temporary traffic controls will be arranged around a work area.
Depending on the activity, it can show warning signs, cones and delineation, barriers, lane arrangements, pedestrian routes and traffic control positions. It gives the people implementing the arrangement a clear layout to work from. [1]
When might you need a TGS?
Typical situations include a lane affected by utility work, a concrete pump occupying road space, a temporary footpath diversion, or a road closure for an approved activity. The need arises from how the work changes the normal movement of vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians—not simply from how long the job takes.
Example: A contractor needs to repair a service beneath a traffic lane. The TGS shows the proposed temporary arrangement around the excavation. The wider planning process addresses matters such as when the work can occur, access to nearby properties and what to do if conditions change.
A TGS therefore provides an essential layout, but should not be assumed to contain every risk assessment, procedure or permission needed to carry out the work.
What is a Traffic Management Plan?
A Traffic Management Plan describes how traffic will be managed while an activity affects the road network or worksite. It brings the proposed controls together with the reasons for them and the arrangements for putting them into practice.
Transport for NSW identifies supporting documents such as risk assessments, TGSs and Vehicle Movement Plans as elements that can sit within a TMP. [2]
Depending on the scope, a TMP may address:
- The work, location, timing and stages.
- Traffic risks and the measures selected to manage them.
- Vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist access.
- Responsibilities, communication and coordination.
- Monitoring, contingencies and changes to the arrangements.
The difference between a TMP and a TGS is therefore one of scope: the TMP explains how the operation will be managed; the TGS depicts a particular traffic control arrangement. [2, 5, 6]
When might you need a TMP?
A TMP is particularly useful where several activities or traffic arrangements need coordination. Examples include staged roadworks, works affecting multiple access points, and events involving closures, diversions and public transport considerations. Event requirements depend on the event classification and relevant authorities. [7]
A TMP is not only for large or long-running projects. Transport for NSW also provides a TMP review checklist for short-term, low-impact works. The required level of detail depends on the risks and applicable requirements, rather than a simple distinction between a one-day job and a major project. [2]
What is a Construction Traffic Management Plan?
A Construction Traffic Management Plan addresses how demolition, excavation and construction will affect traffic and access around a development.
A council may require a CTMP as a condition of development consent. Its purpose is to show how the construction operation will function while managing its impacts on surrounding streets and road users. The consent conditions determine when it must be submitted and approved. [8]
A CTMP commonly covers truck routes, vehicle sizes and movement frequency; site entry and exit; loading and unloading; worker parking; and effects on neighbours, pedestrians, cyclists and emergency access. Supporting drawings may include swept paths, TGSs and diversion arrangements. [3]
Why can a development need a CTMP if the building work is inside the property?
The traffic impact extends beyond the site boundary. Excavation trucks need routes to and from the property. Deliveries need somewhere suitable to unload. Vehicles cross footpaths, and construction workers need parking arrangements.
Example: An apartment development may need a CTMP to manage these issues throughout construction, with separate TGSs for particular operations. A service connection, crane installation and concrete pour can each create different traffic arrangements.
A CTMP is construction-focused, but it should not automatically be treated as a substitute for every operational TMP or TGS required by the project. The document package needs to satisfy both the development conditions and the requirements for the actual work.
Why does council ask for a TMP when it means a TGS?
In practice, “traffic management plan” is sometimes used as a general description for traffic planning documents, including the layout drawing. Terminology is not uniform across council websites and forms.
For example, Wollondilly Shire Council lists a “Traffic Management Plan or Traffic Guidance Scheme” in its road management application checklists. Other councils distinguish the CTMP report from the supporting TGS. This variation helps explain why a request headed “TMP” may need clarification. [4, 9]
That does not mean a TGS will satisfy every request for a TMP. If council wants a report covering truck movements, delivery scheduling, access and construction impacts, a drawing alone may be insufficient.
Before commissioning the document, ask:
“Do you require a Traffic Guidance Scheme showing the proposed traffic control layout, a written Traffic Management Plan or Construction Traffic Management Plan, or both?”
Send your traffic planner the actual council email, permit checklist or consent condition. That gives them a much better starting point than the acronym alone.
Which traffic plan does your project need?
The following examples show how the documents can work together. They are indicative planning scenarios; the final requirements depend on the location, risks, approvals and project conditions.
| Scenario | Documents to consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete pump affecting a lane or footpath | TGS, with supporting TMP documentation as required | The layout must account for the occupied space and safe movement past the operation. |
| Utility repair in a traffic lane | TMP and relevant TGS | The operation needs a traffic arrangement and a method for managing access and changing conditions. |
| Apartment demolition and excavation | CTMP where required by consent, with supporting drawings | Repeated truck movements and site access affect surrounding streets throughout the work. |
| Road upgrade delivered in stages | TMP with TGSs for the different arrangements | Each stage can change traffic paths, work areas and property access. |
| Community event affecting roads | Event traffic planning documents and TGSs as required | Closures, arrivals, departures and access need coordination under the event approval process. |
Does an approved traffic plan replace permits?
No. Plan approval and permission to occupy or alter road space are separate matters.
The City of Sydney expressly identifies separate approval processes for works zones and road closures. Its CTMP standard requirements also distinguish construction on private land from associated roadworks, which require separate consideration and approval. [3, 10]
A Transport for NSW Road Occupancy Licence may also be required where an activity affects traffic flow—even when the activity itself is off the road. Check the relevant road authority’s requirements rather than assuming a council-approved CTMP covers the proposed occupation. [11]
Who should prepare the plans?
Use a designer with the qualifications and experience appropriate to the work. In NSW, SafeWork’s traffic control work training framework includes the Prepare a Work Zone Traffic Management Plan category for design work. Holding a traffic controller card alone does not establish that someone is authorised to design the arrangement. [12]
For a CTMP, also check the council’s requirements for the report’s author and any engineering assessments. A planner should identify when additional specialist input is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need both a TCP and a TGS?
Usually those names refer to the same type of layout drawing, with TGS being the current term. Clarify the requested scope if both appear in your project paperwork.
Can one project have several TGSs?
Yes. Different work stages or activities can need different layouts. For example, the arrangement for a service connection may be different from the arrangement for a crane lift.
Can I submit a TGS instead of a CTMP?
Not where the approval condition requires a CTMP report. A TGS can support the submission, but does not by itself explain the construction traffic impacts and management arrangements covered by the report.
Can I reuse a plan from another site?
Do not assume it is suitable. The designer needs to assess the actual location and proposed work. Road geometry, access points, pedestrian activity and other conditions can change what is appropriate.
What should I send when requesting a quote?
Provide the site address, scope of work, proposed dates and hours, site drawings, expected vehicles and equipment, and the council or client’s written requirements. Include any existing plans or approvals that affect the proposed operation.
Get the right traffic plan for your NSW project
AAA Traffic Control provides Traffic Guidance Schemes, Traffic Management Plans and Construction Traffic Management Plans for projects across Sydney and NSW, alongside permit application assistance and on-site traffic control services.
If you have been asked for a TCP, TGS, TMP or CTMP, send us the request and your project details. We can help clarify the scope and prepare the documents needed for your proposed works.
Call (02) 9675 7731 or email info@aaatc.com.au to discuss your traffic planning requirements.
References and further reading
- North Sydney Council — Traffic Guidance Schemes
- Transport for NSW — Temporary traffic management templates and checklists
- City of Sydney — How to prepare a CTMP report
- North Sydney Council — How to complete a CTMP report
- Safe Work Australia — Traffic management
- Transport for NSW — D&C G10 Temporary Traffic Management (contract specification; applicability depends on the project)
- Transport for NSW — Guide to Traffic and Transport Management for Special Events
- City of Sydney — Prepare a construction traffic management plan
- Wollondilly Shire Council — Design and Road Management
- City of Sydney — CTMP Standard Requirements
- Transport for NSW — Using roads for non-traffic activities
- SafeWork NSW — Traffic control work training cards
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