Better information for your journey
The National Traffic Control Centre collects real-time information on road conditions.
The Project Control Framework
On 1st April 2008 we launched the Project Control Framework. The Framework sets out how we, together with the Department for Transport, manage and deliver major improvement projects.
Free Traffic Information Seminars
Helping your business get its customers, drivers and goods where they should be, on time and stress-free.
Capability Assessment Toolkit 3
Introducing new and challenging indicators in the area of corporate social responsibility.
Efficiency Gains from Collaborative Roads Procurement
Delivering efficiency and best value is central
Driver Location Signs - Update
July 2007
Introduction
In March 2007, the TIM Bulletin published an article on the Driver Location Signs Trial. In April 2007, Chief Highways Engineer Memo CHE 194/07 and Interim Advice Note IAN 93/07 “Driver Location Signs - Interim Performance Specification” were issued, to view the guidance please follow the link. This article covers the main changes brought about by this new guidance.
What is a Driver Location Sign?
A driver location sign (DLS) on the nearside of a motorway or an all purpose trunk road informs the road user of:
- The motorway route number or the all purpose road trunk number that the road user is on;
- The direction the road user is travelling; and
- The precise location on the route.
Driver location signs allow road users to telephone the road rescue organisation or the Regional Control Centre and advise their exact position when reporting an incident.
These new signs allow road users, when telephoning for assistance, to give their location to within 500m. This leads to reduced incident / breakdown response times, thereby reducing the risk of secondary incidents, congestion and delay to road users and improving journey time reliability.
What has changed?
CHE Memo 194/07 requires all new installations of DLS to be in accordance with the Interim Performance Specification set out in IAN 93/07. The sign face design has been formalised in Department for Transport (DfT) Working Drawing NP426b. The legend on these signs must be yellow, NOT orange. The same sign face colours are used for both motorway and all purpose trunk roads.
IAN 93/07 provides guidance on:
- The sign face size determined by the legend’s x-height (text size).
- Longitudinal spacing of the signs.
- Mounting height of the sign and setback from the carriageway.
- Location in relation to junctions and other roadside furniture.
- The legend to be provided.
- Road Safety Audit requirements.
- Publicity of the new signs.
The mounting height of a DLS must be at least 1.3 metres from ground level to the lower edge of the sign, to minimise obscuration of the sign face, in slow moving traffic.
DLS signs shall not be manufactured using microprismatic materials. This is so that they will not be a distraction to road users during free flow traffic conditions.
In addition, the HA Safety Standards and Research (SSR) Safe Road Design team have produced a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions Document, please click on the link for further information.
Into the future……Distance Marker Posts
Following the success of the trials on the M6 and the M25, these new signs will become a common sight across the HA network. The innovations do not stop there however as the SSR Safe Road Design team are preparing a completely new set of Highway Construction Detail drawings for distance marker posts. The draft drawings and guidance are being finalised, so look out for a further update in the TIM Bulletin.
