By Nick Heath, 1 April 2008 11:04
NEWS
Technology will be at the heart of an overhaul of the UK's road network.
The government has laid out its vision of motorists avoiding jams by watching live video of their route before setting off, and using smart signs to open and shut lanes and warn of queues.
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Ambitious proposals in the Highways Agency's (HA) business plan for 2008-09 will build on the success of the six-month pilot of the Active Traffic Management (ATM) system on the M42.
Smart signs on the motorway give early warnings of traffic conditions, can open or close lanes and control the speed of queuing traffic. The has resulted in accidents on the M42 dropping from 5.1 to 1.5 per month, and average journey times falling by more than a quarter on the northbound carriageway.
Queue-signalling signs are in place over 1,200km of the busiest motorways and the HA wants to extend their use to another 200km of the network.
Travel and delay-time signs are also in wide use and the HA is looking at introducing moveable travel time signs and extending their use during periods when roadworks are happening.
In addition, the HA is opening up its network of traffic cameras - still images from 1,200 cameras are available on the HA website and on partner websites and streamed images from the cameras will soon be used in TV travel bulletins.
The use of laser and radar technology to detect incidents and reduce response and clearance times will also be examined over the next three years - with a trial radar system already monitoring traffic flow on the M42.
The radio service offering traffic updates from the National Traffic Control Centre every 10 minutes could also be expanded and detectors will be put in place at 13 sites across the network to pick up on overweight lorries.
The Highways Agency is currently waiting for permission from government ministers to expand the ATM or hard-shoulder technology.
A spokesman for the HA said: "We use a wide variety of technology to help us monitor and keep traffic moving."
Archie Robertson, HA CEO, said in a statement: "It is clear our aims are to provide the information and infrastructure necessary to help these drivers use our roads in a safe and reliable way, whilst also taking the steps necessary to tackle the impact this may have on the environment."
Comments
There are 3 comments. Join the discussion
1. Karen Challinor
any predictions in which revenue generating direction this particular function will creep ?
my guess is automated speeding tickets as ANPR from successive cameras can give a constant speed reading
2. Simon
Am I the only one to see the obvious limitation in all this ?
If I set off on a long journey, I'll have decided what time to set off the day before - based on 'known factors' like distance, type of road, and of course known issues like passing through Birmingham during rush hour !
Once I've set off then usually I have little choice of route, so signs telling me of delays are of little value other than confirming what I already know - traffic isn't moving, so THAT's why I'm sat here not moving !
I suppose I could try and re-route, but then most of the journeys I make don't have alternatives - other than leaving the motorway and taking to the A roads. That isn't usually a recipe for getting there quicker.
3. anonymous
The waste of space matrix boards before you hit Corley Services on the M6 now advise you to 'check you fuel'.
Maybe they should do that a mile or so down the road where you can buy at Tesco's or ASDA where is is about 6p per litlre cheaper :-)