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| Queue warning system reduces accidents says HA report.
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09/12/04 |
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Queue warning systems on motorways in England have resulted in a significant reduction in accidents according to a report just released by the Highways Agency.
Reporting the results of two recently completed trials on queue protection and the controlled motoray scheme, the Highways Agency claim injury accidents have reduced by 13% and, on the M25 controlled motoray scheme, have resulted in the steadier and less stressful journeys as well as a 10% reduction in serious injury accidents.
Using MIDAS (Motorway Incident Detection and Aautomatic Signalling) inductive loops to detect the volume and speed of traffic, data is automatically passed via the local control centre to overhead VMS gantries in the form of pre-set messages.
"The two trials are slightly different," said Brian Harbord, the Driver Information and Safety Systems manager with the Highways Agency. "While the speed limits on the controlled motorway system are manadatory, they are only advisory on the queue protection system."
On target to meet a requirement to install the MIDAS queue protection system on 30% of the strategic route network by March next year, the Agency is confident that the system will continue to deliver falling numbers of collisions arising from stop/go traffic on motorways.
"Drivers approaching queuing traffic are met with two warnings," said Harboard. "The initial warning is a roundel on the overhead gantry advising a speed limit of 60mph and the text 'Queue ahead'. The second warning comes immediately before the end of the queue when the advisory speed limit is 40mph and the text 'Queue caution'. As drivers pass through the queue there are further warnings to maintain a maximum speed of 40mph."
On the M25 orbital motorway around London where the controlled motorway scheme has now been in operation for a number of years, the Highways Agency report concludes there could be benefits from applying the system to other motorways in the country.
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| Further information, visit: www.highways.gov.uk |
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