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Transforming Life on the Road

Rapid new developments on the roads mean drivers will benefit from better information to plan their travel before and during journeys says the Highways Agency

Using state-of-the-art technology, the Highways Agency is developing revolutionary projects to deliver safer roads, reliable journeys and more informed travellers. These developments have rapidly unfolded over the last few years to help provide the best possible service to motorists.

One of the most powerful tools developed is to give drivers better information to plan their travel before and during journeys. A new National Traffic Control Centre in the West Midlands will be up and running with the sole aim of providing road users with better information about the motorways and certain other roads in England.

Road conditions
Information about road conditions will be collected from the road surface using electronic monitoring loops, CCTV cameras and Highways Agency staff. This information is then analysed and fed back to drivers through the Internet, a new telephone service, variable message signs on the roadside, and the travel news on the radio and other media. The decisions that drivers then make can be more informed about when to travel and which route to take.

Improve our road network
Another crucial way to improve our road network is to provide more resources on and off the road. In 2002, The Highways Agency conducted a review of Police and Highways Agency responsibilities with ACPO, the Association of Chief Police Officers. This review found that there was a case for the transfer of some responsibilities such as dealing with abandoned vehicles and escorting abnormal loads, from the police to new on-road Highways Agency Traffic Officers. The police would then be freed-up to concentrate on tackling crime and law enforcement, and would still retain overall primacy on the roads.

New National Traffic Control Centre
From May 2004, the Highways Agency Traffic Officers will be working alongside police on the motorways in the West Midlands. This will be the start of an England-wide roll out, with traffic officers patrolling the country by the end of 2005. Combined with the new National Traffic Control Centre, the new Traffic Officer role will put road users at the forefront of the Highway Agency’s operations to help tackle the growing problems of congestion on England’s roads, particularly where delays caused by accidents and road maintenance occur.

Trained Traffic Officers
Highly trained Traffic Officers will patrol from distinctive and highly visible Agency vehicles eventually 24 hrs per day 7 days a week. Motorists will notice Traffic Officers present and assisting motorists at the following scenes:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Removing damaged and abandoned vehicles
• Clearing debris on carriageways
• Undertaking high visibility patrols
• Providing mobile/temporary road closures
• Supporting police in their duties

Managing Traffic
In addition to the NTCC and the new Traffic Officer role, existing road space can be made more efficient by actively managing traffic. A pilot project, currently under construction, between junctions 3a and 7 on the M42 near Birmingham aims to do exactly that by using already existing tools that have been tried and tested elsewhere in the UK, Europe or North America.

The key is being smart and using the right tools at the right time including variable speed limits, improved signs on new gantries, use of the hard shoulder under strictly controlled conditions, CCTV and electronic monitoring, emergency refuge areas, and dedicated lanes. Safety is paramount, and if successful, this pilot would herald the way forward in appropriate areas afflicted with congestion.

David York, National Traffic Director said:
“A free-flowing motorway network is crucial to the smooth running of UK trade and industry. Equally it is important that the motorway runs smoothly and safely for all travellers. The Highways Agency is going through an exciting and challenging period of change as it moves to being a 24/7 organisation. By simplifying traffic management arrangements, we can take a coordinated view of congestion across the network - easing delays and freeing police officers to concentrate on crime and law enforcement. These new traffic management arrangements will also help us communicate better with motorists and keep travellers better informed of congestion hotspots.”

For further information visit www.highways.gov.uk