Highways Agency

Efforts to cut congestion and increase traffic flows on the motorways around Birmingham will be boosted with the implementation of a further two sites to the Highways Agency on slip roads in the West Midlands.

The technique of motorway access management reduces congestion and improves traffic flows by managing the flow of vehicles joining at motorway junctions.  Traffic signals are located on the motorway slip road and operate during congested periods to regulate the amount of traffic joining the motorway.  Sensors are located along the slip road which enables the system to be turned off when necessary to prevent the build up of traffic on the adjacent road network.

The technique, previously known as 'ramp metering', has been used at numerous locations on the M6, M5 and M42 around Birmingham in recent years.  With the system operating during periods of congestion on the motorway, traffic speeds in advance of the junction are increased by up to 18%, with reduction in overall journey times on the motorway of up to 11%.

Work to install the equipment commenced at the M42 Junction 2 eastbound onslip road in mid January and was completed by 30 March 2008.  This scheme forms part of a National Ramp Metering Implementation project which will see a total of 30 sites installed nationally.  To see more about Ramp Metering please visit the Motorway Access Management pages.