Highways Agency

• Keep Left Campaign
• Variable Message Signs (Electronic Message Signs)

VMS are used to display messages to support national road safety campaigns.

Department for Transport (DfT)/Highways Agency policy is that these are agreed only where Highways Agency is a partner and the message relates directly to users of the Agency’s network. The legends are given specific approval for each campaign and can be displayed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or for a set time and days as required.

An annual programme of safety campaigns has been prepared. This involves identifying appropriate campaigns to support, and also selecting the most appropriate VMS for each campaign.

Campaign messages have a low priority and are overwritten by higher priority messages such as queue protection and incident warnings.

Previous agreed campaigns include those which support DfT campaigns:

* VMS illustrations are diagrammatic only.

Proposals for additional or other campaigns can still be made and will be considered alongside the annual programme of campaigns, which is updated and reviewed on a regular basis.

When developing a safety campaign, we must consider the following important issues:

• Timescale for the approval and implementation process – can take 6 months
• Identifying the problem to be addressed and relevance of campaign to the Highways Agency Network
• Duration of the campaign
• Appropriate times for the message to be displayed
• The balance between the impact of the message against the potential to distract drivers
• Publicity
• Funding for campaign

All campaign legends must be authorised. For advice on whom to contact about proposed campaign messages telephone HAIL on 08457 504030.