M25 Traffic lights and Cameras

[darcey]

Good evening Chaps ,
Exactly how many cameras are there on the 25 these days ? must be hundreds , plus on the gantry by the Epping Tunnel ,it looks like Trafficlights just waiting to drp down into place.
Anything unusual or are they just getting ready for more road works?

[claypigeon60]

They've just put "part time" traffic lights at the end of the slip road at J6. Not sure how that's supposed to work ... wait for the green and then boot it to be able to join the rest of the traffic that's already doing 70?

[Simpo Two]

So they can stick them on 'red' without warning and cream in a few million for Broon.

[bigandclever]

It's called Ramp Metering.

HA blurb said:

The Highways Agency is continually looking at ways of keeping motorways and trunk roads running smoothly. Ramp metering is a key measure for reducing delays at junctions. It works by managing the traffic on slip roads. During busy periods, signals release just a few vehicles at a time. This prevents merging and mainline traffic from bunching together and creating a bottleneck which delays everyone.

By preventing or delaying flow breakdown the system provides the following benefits:

Greater throughput during peak periods;
Less congestion and improved traffic flows;
Smoother and more reliable journey times.

The ramp metering system uses signals on the slip road which come into operation when traffic sensors on the main carriageway indicate heavy traffic. Traffic conditions are monitored and signal timings are constantly updated. The system also watches the slip road to ensure queues do not back up onto local roads.

And a FAQ http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/17374.aspx

[RacerMDR]

i always thought it was bks on my stretch - A3 to M40.

However the other day going southbound i spotted some on the A3 gantry - they flashed once and got someone.

I'm not sure if they are co-ordinated with the variable speed signs - but they were there.

As far as i can tell - there aren't any others on that particular stretch (on the gantry)

[Soovy]

My Road Angel goes nuts ont hat stretch. Every few hundred ayards and they're live.

[RacerMDR]

as i do it everyday - i take lots of notice of it - and there literally (to the best of my knowledge) are not any other cameras on that stretch other than the A3 South gantry.

You can see them if you study it hard. I go through them all at any speed i want and never a problem - apart from the one i mentioned.

[bleesh]

darcey said:

Good evening Chaps ,
Exactly how many cameras are there on the 25 these days ? must be hundreds , plus on the gantry by the Epping Tunnel ,it looks like Trafficlights just waiting to drp down into place.
Anything unusual or are they just getting ready for more road works?

I noticed those lights today - I was on anti clockwise coming from M11 to M3, and just after the tunnel, saw the lights flipped up onto the gantry on the other carriageway - oddly they were active and all showing green lights.

This is in the area where what look like SPECS cameras are set up ready for roadworks.

Is it possible they are going to have lights to control entry to the tunnel whilst doing work in there????

Madness, I tell you!!

Steve