Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Related pages

• Key Features
• Better Driver Information
• Congestion and Incident Management
• What Happens if I Break Down?
• Why the M1 Junctions 10 to 13?
• Hard Shoulder Running Route

Congestion and Incident Management

Congestion management

As part of the M1 Improvement, new features to manage congestion will been introduced:

• Control centre operators and equipment monitoring the M1 scheme 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
• A comprehensive CCTV camera system so the operators in our control centre can easily view this section of the M1
• Sensors in the road detect traffic and congestion.
• A built-in system alerting the control centre operator to increases in traffic, allowing them to immediately manage the situation

These features allow improved responses to increases in traffic, with the aim of reducing congestion. They also allow quicker reaction in the event of an incident.

When congestion is expected on the motorway the automatic system will change the signs and signals to alert road users to the conditions ahead.

The system automatically calculates the best speed to keep the traffic flowing and this is then displayed on the speed limit signals overhead.

The control centre can also open the hard shoulder, under controlled conditions, as an extra running lane to reduce the impact of congestion by providing extra space for the traffic. This will help to keep the traffic flowing and minimise delays.

Incident management

If an incident occurs the control centre operator and automatic system will change the signs and signals to alert road users to the conditions ahead. The signals can also be used to open and close lanes, where necessary.

This means the control centre can provide access to the incident for on-road help, in the form of emergency services and Highways Agency Traffic Officers, who will manage the incident.

The control centre can also open the hard shoulder, under controlled conditions, as an extra running lane to reduce the impact of incidents by providing extra space for the traffic. This will help to keep the traffic flowing and minimise delays.