Motorways to get traffic info
So everyone can avoid the jams together...
Electronic signs to show you the way
Electronic roadside signs at major junctions on the two motorways will be displaying the latest travel time and delay information from our National Traffic Control Centre through as part of a region-wide trial. The messages will tell drivers the expected travel time to specific junctions on the motorway.
This information will help drivers make informed decisions throughout their journeys.
Roads minister Stephen Ladyman said: "Through the Highways Agency, we are investing in new services to help drivers to plan their journeys. These new messages are part of a range of information services so drivers can find out about traffic conditions on their route both before they set out and during their journey.
"Displaying journey times on our electronic signs will help them to do that. It will help them plan and consider options such as changing their route or taking a break if there are traffic delays ahead of them. They'll also have greater certainty about the time it will take to get to their destinations."
The area covered by this new trial consists of the M6 Stoke (J15) to M5 Bristol (J17) and M6 Stoke (J15) to its junction with the M1 (J19) (excluding M6 Toll and the M42), covering a total distance of 160 miles along two sections of central England's busiest motorway routes.
The system will display travel and delay times in both directions along these routes until the end of the school holidays in early September.
Ladyman said: "Over 200,000 vehicles a day travel on these routes and will be able to see the new service. We will be actively seeking feedback throughout the trial to assess the response from drivers and the impact on the network.
"Following the trial, we'll closely study this feedback before making any decisions on whether to extend the service to other parts of the motorway network.
"The software we're using during the trial will use historical traffic data for the two motorways, adjusted by information from automatic number plate recognition cameras (ANPRs) to reflect current conditions. It automatically recalculates the travel times every five minutes and updates the display. If an incident such as a road accident causes delays on the motorway above a certain threshold, the message will automatically switch from the travel time message to show the estimated delay."
Cynical me? Nah.
Journey time to Somewhereville (J15) - 20 mins.
Great..er.. thanks. I wans't going to Somewhereville, and without knowing how far I am J15 I can't tell if 20mins is fast or slow.
A better way to present the same information would be:
"Average speed for next 20 miles - 60mph (20min)"
If these are as accurate as the speed limits they impose for accidents that were cleared hours ago but the limit remains, or "FOG" and again the fog lifted hours ago what use are they?
Tossers.
It's all a bit like bathing in the North Sea;- not so much swimming as going through the motions...
They have systems which exist to keep traffic flowing at the max...possible.
Now it takes a great deal of "optimism" doesn't it to expect the same forethought here in "Blighty" does it not, with HM Gov's efforts to slow down our already "slow" traffic down even further by the introduction of "cycle!.....it's quicker!" laws and the slowest motorways in Europe!
Like you, I'm not hopeful....or convinced!...
These 'information' signs are beeing installed all along the M4, at God knows what cost - and surely that cost cannot be justified if it's only for driver information?
On the other hand, if you needed to send registration numbers back and have to monitor all three lanes at regular intervals along the road so you can charge for usage....
I hope he has got this wrong. 
Driver information...? My a
eGassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff