Highways Agency

• Background
• Overview of active traffic management on the m42
• When will it be introduced?
• Why the m42?
• What is different?
• How does it work?
• When should i use the hard shoulder?
• How does the system know what to do?
• What do the signals mean?
• What happens if i break down?
• What happens in congestion?
• What happens in an incident or accident?
• What are the safety features?
• What are all the cameras?
• How does it affect the environment?
• How does it affect the environment?
• How is the pilot being assessed?
• Was a consultation held?
• Where can i get more information?
• The technical details
• Press area
• Publicity campaign

M42 Jct 3a - Jct 7 Active Traffic Management

Publicity campaign

Active Traffic Management provides drivers with a different driving environment. For this reason, we have a comprehensive publicity programme, largely focusing on the West Midlands region, to inform drivers of the changes associated with the introduction of Active Traffic Management.

Public exhibitions are planned for this scheme. Please check back for future dates and locations.

Download a printable version of our Public Information leaflet (903KB PDF)

Media Coverage

Active Traffic Management has been featured in a number of publications. For example:

The Guardian, 26th October 2005 - "Smooth-flowing traffic is on the way. As roads become more crowded, managing traffic becomes a greater priority - which is why the Highways Agency has built IT into its newest motorway"

For full article please visit The Guardian Online

Transportation Professional, September 2005 - "News: M42 safety bays unveiled. Stranded motorists who break down on the M42 near Birmingham are now afforded added protection from passing traffic following the opening of 39 emergency refuge areas beside the hard shoulder."

For full article please visit The Institute of Highways & Transportation (please note that a subscription is required)

Traffic Engineering and Control, July 2005 - "Congestion is a growing problem in all the major conurbations across the UK, and the Confederation of British Industry has estimated that the cost of congestion to the UK economy is in the region of £20 billion a year. It is a growing problem, and although the HA are increasing capacity on some strategic roads, such as the M1 and M25, this is not a viable long term solution. There is not enough space to do it in urban areas and even if there were, it would not be environmentally acceptable. It is therefore imperative that we make the best possible use of all road space available. Active Traffic Management is a pilot scheme on the M42 motorway in the West Midlands which aims to do just that. So the big question we have to answer is, is it the next step in Inter-Urban Intelligent Transport Systems?"

For full article please visit Traffic Engineering & Control Magazine (please note that a subscription is required)

The Engineer, 16-29 May 2005 - "Fortunately, amid the clamour for more roads, an increasingly vocal group of planners, engineers and academics is proposing a range of more thoughtful solutions. They claim that technology can make a real contribution to reducing congestion at a fraction of the cost of road-building programmes. This is not just idle techno-banter either. It is happening, now, quietly and without fanfare turning the UK into a global centre of excellence for road technology."

For full article please visit The Engineer Online (please note that a subscription is required)

Traffic Technology International, April-May 2005 - "Offering a variety of cutting-edge traffic management tools and technologies to its customers makes this section of the M42 the most advanced and responsive roadspace the UK has ever seen."

The full article is not available online. For free subscription to paper version please visit Traffic Technology International

Disabled Motorist Magazine, 2004 - "…the pilot section of the M42 looks like being, in reality, a far safer place for disabled motorists than any other trunk route in Britain. Constant monitoring, computer linked signage, immediate lane closures and refuges every 500 metres add up to an impressive array of ststems to try and ease congestion - and should mean, if you are in difficulty, that the response is rapid."

For full article please visit The Disabled Motorist.