Highways Agency

Chapter 4 - Easing congestion

The Agency needs to have made progress towards stemming the increase in congestion caused by rising traffic levels, if the 5% reduction is to be achieved by 2010. This will be achieved by:

• minimising delays due to maintenance works - through the use of traffic management techniques, better planning and by carrying out maintenance at less busy times.
• if techniques such as ramp metering are successful, extend these to other parts of the network.
• using the Agency's new traffic control centre, which will be operational by March 2004, to provide a single focus for managing traffic, monitoring the network and providing information.
• begin the use of Active Traffic Management (ATM) on the M42 (see section at the end of this chapter).
• extending existing techniques such as CCTV cameras to allow accidents to be cleared more quickly.
• delivering automatic hold-up warning systems on the most congested lengths of motorways, to provide early warning, via variable message signs (VMS), of the build-up of traffic.
• delivering large scale improvements to ease congestion from the major schemes programme with 26 schemes expected to be open to traffic by March 2005.
• completing an extensive programme of smaller scale local schemes.
• delivering projects from the Agency's research programme as part of the DTLR initiative to improve driver, vehicle and road interaction. 

What the Agency will deliver in 2002/03

Managing traffic

• Install automatic hold-up warning systems on a further 200km of motorway. This will result in over 430km of motorway (15%) being covered by these systems by the end of 2002/03.
• Evaluating the benefits of ramp metering/access management on the M27 and start a further trial on the M6 near Birmingham.
• Extending the controlled motorway system on the M25.

• Complete maintenance works whilst causing minimum disruption to road users.

• Deliver at least 48 of 51 major scheme milestones.
• Complete the programme of early action schemes aimed at tackling congestion.
• Actively participate in the ongoing multi-modal studies and road-based studies. 

How performance will be measured

The Performance Indicators set for the Agency by the Secretary of State are:

Indicator: Number of congestion early action schemes completed.

Target: Complete the remaining schemes in the programme.

Indicator: Automatic hold up warning systems installed.

Target: Install automatic hold up warning systems on at least 200km of motorway length.

Indicator: Number of major scheme milestones achieved.

Target: Achieve at least 48 of 51 major scheme milestones (comprising 50 TPI schemes plus the A2/M2 Cobham to J4 widening scheme approved in the Accelerated Roads Review - see Annex A6 for list).

Active traffic management (ATM)

The Agency is to begin the use of Active Traffic Management (ATM) on the M42, starting in 2004. ATM will provide the technology and equipment to enable different traffic management techniques to be used, depending on road conditions and volume of traffic. ATM builds on a successful stream of HA research into motorway traffic control. The key to ATM's success will be close co-operation between the Agency and police on incident and traffic management.

Major schemes expected to be completed during 2002/03

• A1 Willowburn-Denwick
• A6 Great Glen Bypass
• A43 Silverstone Bypass
• A43 Whitfield Turn-Brackley Hatch Improvement
• A43 M40-B4031 Dualling
• A27 Polegate Bypass
• A66 Stainburn & Great Clifton Bypass
• A11 Roudham Heath-Attleborough Improvement