New technology to reduce congestion on the M1 in the East Midlands to go live

An innovative scheme to reduce congestion and improve traffic flows at some of the busiest junctions on the M1 motorway in the East Midlands will be switched on in stages this month - with the first set going live next week.

Work to install the part-time lights on the motorway entry slip roads, which will regulate the flow of traffic joining the motorway, called ramp metering, is now complete in the East Midlands. A period of testing the hardware and technology involved will now take place.

The lights on the southbound entry slip road at M1 junction 25 will be switched on for the first time on Tuesday, 8 April. The lights on the entry slip road at junction 28 northbound, junction 29 north and southbound and junction 24 northbound will be switched on throughout April.

Although the lights will operate during times of congestion, there will be an initial period of approximately eight to ten weeks where data about the lights will be collated and analysed so that the settings can be fine-tuned.

Congestion can occur near junctions when vehicles attempt to join from the slip road when there is already heavy traffic on the motorway. The ramp metering lights release just a few vehicles at a time, these lights prevent the merging and motorway traffic from bunching together and forming a bottleneck that delays everyone.

Sensors in the road monitor the congestion and adjust the timing of the lights. Traffic on the slip road is also monitored to minimise the possibility of queues forming on the local road network.

Highways Agency project manager Jack Warner, said:

"The system is designed so the lights work part-time, during times of heavy traffic on the motorway network. Motorists joining the motorway may have a few seconds delay at slip road lights, but this short delay will benefit all motorway users by ensuring they can make their journeys safely and reliably.

"While the lights are being switched on and tested we'd like to ask motorists to be patient as the settings might not be 100 per cent right for the first eight to ten weeks after they go live. During this time we will analyse the data and correct any problems."

Ramp metering is part of an £18m project, which sees 70 sites being introduced in England by 2009. The East Midlands scheme is costing £1m.

The system has been successfully used on motorways in parts of the Midlands and the North where it has been shown to reduce congestion and improve journey times on the motorway by up to nine per cent. It is also widely used in the United States, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Notes to Editors

1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England's motorways and major A roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. The system of installing traffic lights on motorway slip road roads is known as 'ramp metering'. It has been used in the United States for over 40 years.

3. Estimated switch on dates are:
M1 J24 NB 21/04/08
M1 J25 SB 08/04/08
M1 J28 NB 14/04/08
M1 J29 NB 21/04/08
M1 J29 SB 14/04/08

4. Schemes are already operating on a number of sites in the Midlands and North of England on the M5, M6, M62, M60, M56, M1 and M42.

5. Real-time traffic information for England's motorways and major A roads is now available:
* From our new Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at http://www.trafficradio.org.uk To tune into the DAB service, simply press the "scan" button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach "Traffic Radio".
* On the internet at http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo
* By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; mobile calls usually cost more).

6. Before using a mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it's safe and legal before you call.

7. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website http://www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time. (Calls to 0845 numbers cost no more than 3p/min from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary)

Issued on behalf of the Highways Agency by COI News and PR

Source: Highways