Key takeaways
- The AGTTM is the national Austroads guide for planning, setting up, running and removing temporary traffic management on Australian roads.
- It is a guide, not a law: each state and territory adopts it through its own standards, codes, supplements and contracts.
- In NSW the governing document for TfNSW work is now TS 05492:1.0 Traffic Control at Work Sites, which sits alongside AGTTM and AS 1742.3.
- The project's contract, ROL or permit conditions decide which document you must follow, so check them before you design or set up.
- A traffic guidance scheme must still be prepared by a suitably qualified person, whatever the guide says.
The AGTTM (Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management) is Australia's national guide to planning, setting up, running and removing traffic management at road work sites. It is not a law on its own: each state adopts it through its own standards and supplements, so you must follow whichever document your road authority, permit or contract specifies.
That last point is where most confusion starts. Crews hear "AGTTM compliant" on one job, "TCAWS" on another and "TS 05492" on a third, and assume they are competing rulebooks. They are not. Think of AGTTM as the national playbook, and the state documents as the local rules that say how that playbook applies on their roads.
This guide explains what AGTTM is, what each part covers, how it fits with state requirements (NSW first), and what it changes for planners, supervisors and traffic controllers in practice. It is general information, not legal or engineering advice.
What is AGTTM and who publishes it?
Austroads is the collective body of Australian and New Zealand road transport and traffic agencies. It publishes guides that member agencies use as a common base so that a work zone in Perth looks and behaves broadly like one in Sydney or Hobart.
The Guide to Temporary Traffic Management brings together the principles for keeping workers and road users safe when a road is disrupted. That includes construction and maintenance works, utility works, emergency responses, and events that occupy the road.
Austroads updates the parts of the guide over time. For example, the processes and procedures part was revised in 2025 alongside work on a national training framework. Because parts are updated separately, always check the current edition of each part on the Austroads website rather than relying on a printed copy in the ute.
How AGTTM is structured
AGTTM is published in multiple parts, each focused on a stage or type of work. The exact list and edition can change, so confirm it with Austroads, but the parts broadly cover the following areas.
| Area covered | What it means on the job |
|---|---|
| Introduction and principles | Scope, definitions and the safety philosophy behind the guide |
| Traffic management planning | Risk assessment, choosing a strategy, and preparing plans |
| Static work sites | Layouts for works that stay in one place, such as lane closures |
| Mobile works | Works that move along the road, such as line marking or patching |
| Short-term, low-impact works | Quick jobs where a full set-up may not be practical |
| Field staff implementation and operation | Installing, operating, inspecting and removing the set-up |
| Activity areas | Managing the space where work, plant and workers interact |
| Processes and procedures | Roles, competencies, documentation and review |
| Sample layouts | Typical diagrams to adapt, not copy blindly |
| Supplementary signs | Signs beyond the standard set in AS 1742.3 |
The sample layouts are where people get into trouble. A typical layout is a starting point for a designer, not a ready-made traffic guidance scheme. The site's speed, sight lines, traffic volume, pedestrians, driveways and the type of work all change what is needed.
AGTTM vs state rules: who decides what applies?
AGTTM sits at the top of a hierarchy of documents. On a given job, the document that actually binds you is the one named in your contract, road occupancy licence or permit conditions.
| Jurisdiction | What typically governs (check current versions) |
|---|---|
| NSW | TS 05492:1.0 Traffic Control at Work Sites (from 25 June 2026) for Transport for NSW work, with AGTTM and AS 1742.3 referenced |
| Victoria | Code of Practice for Worksite Safety – Traffic Management (from 1 December 2023), which incorporates AGTTM |
| Queensland | Queensland's MUTCD Part 3 and the Queensland Guide to Temporary Traffic Management, which builds on AGTTM |
| SA, NT, TAS | AGTTM with local supplements; these states use the national Austroads training framework |
New South Wales
NSW references AGTTM but has its own standard. On 25 June 2026 Transport for NSW replaced the Traffic Control at Work Sites Technical Manual Issue 6.1 with TS 05492:1.0 Traffic Control at Work Sites. We cover the detail in our guide to what changed from TCAWS to TS 05492.
NSW also keeps its own worker licensing. SafeWork NSW issues Traffic Control Work Training (TCWT) cards, and the national Austroads training framework that operates in other states does not apply in NSW. Councils and utilities may still reference older documents in their contracts, so read the project documents before you assume.
Victoria and Queensland
Victoria's Code of Practice incorporates AGTTM directly, and the state has a traffic management reform program that accredits companies. Queensland uses its own MUTCD Part 3 and guide, and traffic controllers there renew their accreditation with the Department of Transport and Main Roads every three years. Check details with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads or the relevant Victorian authority.
The core ideas in AGTTM every crew should know
You don't need to memorise the guide to work safely under it. You do need to understand the handful of principles that sit behind every layout.
Plan before you set up
AGTTM treats traffic management as a planned process: assess the risk, choose a strategy, design the layout, then implement. On site, that means the crew should never be inventing the set-up as they go. If the drawing doesn't fit the site, stop and get it reviewed by someone qualified to change it.
Use the hierarchy of controls
The guide follows the same logic as WHS law. Remove the risk where you can (close the road or detour traffic), then separate workers from traffic (barriers, a truck-mounted attenuator), then reduce speed, then warn, and only then rely on PPE. A row of cones and a hi-vis vest is the last line of defence, not the first.
Give drivers time to react
Signs, tapers and buffer zones are sized so that drivers see, understand and respond before they reach workers. That's why distances change with speed. Shortening a taper because the footpath is in the way, or skipping an advance warning sign because "everyone knows the road", removes the reaction time the layout depends on.
Inspect, record and review
AGTTM expects the set-up to be checked when installed, during the shift and when removed, with changes and incidents recorded. In NSW practice, work-site traffic control is inspected at the start and end of every shift and at suitable intervals during it, plus weekly and after-care inspections, recorded on the project's forms.
What AGTTM means for each role
| Role | What AGTTM changes in practice |
|---|---|
| Client or project manager | Name the governing document in the contract and allow time for a proper TMP and TGS |
| TGS designer | Start from the site, not the sample layout; document speed, risk and assumptions |
| Supervisor or ITCP holder | Set up to the approved plan, run inspections and record any changes |
| Traffic controller | Know your position, stop/slow procedure, escape route and radio protocol |
| TMA operator | Hold the right training and licence, and confirm the unit suits the site speed |
Whatever the role, the guide does not replace the need for competency. A TGS must be prepared by a suitably qualified person, and in NSW workers need the correct SafeWork NSW card for the traffic control work they are directed to do.
Common mistakes when applying AGTTM
These are the issues that come up again and again on audits and toolbox talks.
- Assuming AGTTM overrides the contract. If the contract or ROL names a state standard, follow it. Raise conflicts with the client before mobilising.
- Using a sample layout as the TGS. Typical layouts are not site-specific. The plan must reflect the actual road, speed and work.
- Leaving signs up when work stops. Signs that don't match conditions teach drivers to ignore them. Cover or remove them when the work zone isn't active.
- Skipping the briefing. Every crew member should know the plan, the hazards, the radio channel, the escape route and who can change the set-up.
- No record of changes. If the layout is adjusted on site, write down what, when, why and who approved it.
- Old references in paperwork. SWMS, checklists and templates that still cite superseded documents create confusion during audits.
How to check you're following the right version
Before each new project, run through this short checklist.
- Read the contract, ROL or permit conditions and note the named standard or guide.
- Confirm the current edition with the publisher: Austroads for AGTTM, Standards Australia for AS 1742.3, and the state road authority for its supplement.
- Make sure the TGS, TMP and SWMS all reference the same documents.
- Check your crew's cards and accreditations match the state and the work type.
- Update templates and checklists when a document is superseded, and brief the crew on what changed.
You can check Australian Standards through Standards Australia and NSW requirements with Transport for NSW.
Next steps
If you plan or deliver work in NSW, read our guides to the difference between a TMP and a TGS and work zone speed limits in NSW. For operators juggling different requirements across jobs, the TrafWise platform keeps rosters, card checks and digital dockets in one place so the right crew turns up with the right paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
What does AGTTM stand for?
AGTTM stands for the Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management. It is a multi-part national guide published by Austroads, the association of Australian and New Zealand road agencies. It sets out good practice for planning, designing, installing, operating, inspecting and removing temporary traffic management at road work sites and other activities on roads.
Is AGTTM mandatory in Australia?
AGTTM is a guide, not legislation. It becomes binding when a state road authority, code of practice, contract or permit requires it. Victoria's Code of Practice for Worksite Safety incorporates it, while NSW and Queensland apply their own documents that reference it. Always check what your project and road authority specify.
Does NSW use AGTTM?
NSW references AGTTM but applies its own standard. Since 25 June 2026, Transport for NSW work uses TS 05492:1.0 Traffic Control at Work Sites, which replaced the TCAWS manual. NSW also keeps SafeWork NSW traffic control cards rather than the national Austroads training framework. Check your contract for the governing document.
What is the difference between AGTTM and AS 1742.3?
AS 1742.3 is the Australian Standard covering traffic control devices for works on roads, such as signs and their use. AGTTM is the broader Austroads guide on the whole process of temporary traffic management, from planning and risk assessment to field operation and inspection. Projects often reference both together.
Where can I get a copy of AGTTM?
AGTTM is published by Austroads and available through the Austroads website, where you can check the current edition of each part and any recent updates. State supplements are published by each road authority, such as Transport for NSW, the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, and the Victorian transport department.