Disabled Driver Questionnaire
We want to produce a driver information programme for our disabled customers. To help us produce the best possible guidance, please take a few minutes to fill in our questionnaire.
Better information for your journey
The National Traffic Control Centre collects real-time information on road conditions
Lane Hog!
John Stapleton looks into why people Lane Hog and what effects it has on the driver hogging the lane and other road users.
Educating tomorrow's drivers
See how we are driving through key messages about safety on our network for the drivers of tomorrow.
Meet the Ancestors
Find out about the history of roads and the work the Agency does to preserve archaeological remains.
See when traffic will be lightest
Our traffic forecaster can help get you there quicker
Approved Messages
Use of VMS: Approved legends
Messages displayed on VMS are referred to as legends. An approved legend is a message authorised for display upon a single VMS sign face. There are 4 main categories of approved legends. These are incident management, driver information, strategic diversions and roadworks.
Incident Management
Tactical legends to assist with the management of local incidents where immediate action is required to cope with a safety hazard. Where Motorway Incident Detection and Automated Signalling (MIDAS) is available, messages can be set automatically.
Tactical diversion legends which divert all or certain classes of traffic from one route to another in support of local incidents or hazards; and
Site specific legends which are specifically authorised to support locally agreed or area-specific contingency plans.
For consistency, tactical legends are restricted to a 2x12 format.
Driver Information
Link legends to inform the road user of events or conditions affecting the highway on which they are travelling, but are not directive or instructive; and
Network legends to inform the road user of events or conditions affecting the highway, other than the one on which they are travelling, and are not directive or instructive.
Strategic diversions
Strategic legends inform the road user of significant delays on a route and advise strategic alternative routes.
Strategic VMS are located at key points on the network and are designed to provide drivers with sufficient information to re-route or change their travel plans. Strategic VMS can be used to improve the performance of the network by redistributing traffic efficiently when congestion occurs and spare capacity is available elsewhere on the network. The format for strategic diversion messages is:
- Line 1: affected route, condition and any location identifier
- Line 2: intended destination (main town; route number)
- Line 3: suggested alternative route
The National Traffic Control Centre (NTCC) is responsible for setting strategic Variable Message Signs. When not required to display strategic messages, strategic VMS can also be used to display incident management or driver information messages.
Road Works
Road Works legends are used in advance of road works for the following reasons:
- To assist the safety of operatives when setting up or removing traffic management;
- To give advance warning of mobile lane closures
