Stage 1 Road Safety Audits.
Stage 1 Road Safety Audits for planning applications, arranged with independent auditors and turned round quickly with a designer’s response ready.
Also known as: Stage 1 RSA, Stage 1 Road Safety Audit, Stage 1/2 RSA, preliminary design audit
What’s included.
A Stage 1 Road Safety Audit reviews the preliminary design of a new or altered access or highway works. Many councils ask for one with the planning application, especially where an access is on a busier or faster road.
- Audit brief and drawings
- Collision data and speed information
- Independent audit team
- Site visit by the auditors
- Designer’s response
- Revised drawings where needed
Straightforward, proportionate, agreed early.
Quick
Briefs prepared fast so the audit does not hold up the submission.
Complete information
Drawings, speeds and collision data supplied so the audit focuses on safety, not gaps.
Resolved, not just recorded
Each problem answered with a design change or a clear reason.
Questions we get asked
Is a Stage 1 Road Safety Audit always needed for planning?
No. It depends on the council and the scheme. Many ask for one for a new access on a classified road. We check early.
How long does a Stage 1 audit take?
Usually one to two weeks from instruction, depending on the auditors’ availability.
Can Stage 1 and Stage 2 be combined?
Sometimes, for simple schemes where the design is already detailed. The highway authority decides.
Often needed alongside.
Last reviewed October 2026 by Ripple Development Planning. Policy and guidance change; for advice on a specific site, send us the details.
From our insights.
Need help with Stage 1 Road Safety Audits?
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