News

Do You Comply?

A new Highways England initiative has come into force with immediate effect. If you have a major road project planned, read on…

In June 2016, the Major Projects Portfolio Office based on direction given by the Highways England Board instructed all major road work projects which stretch for more than 4km, and that are scheduled to last for three months or longer to use travel time portable variable message signs to communicate the time and distance to the end of the road works to road users.

Feedback from road users and those affected by road works showed that they were often left frustrated because the length of road works and the travel time to reach the end of them were often uncommunicated. This had a negative impact on how road users viewed road works – and those who operated them.

In order to communicate more effectively to these road users, and improve their customer experience, the new initiative now requires major road projects to incorporate a system – such as MVIS’ Journey Time Solutions (JTS) – as a part of their project. The Major Projects Instruction has instructed that at least one portable VMS should communicate the time and distance to the end of the road works from immediate effect.

MVIS’ JTS is a comprehensive and cost-effective solution for short-term road works projects. It enables road users to make informed decisions about how to minimise journey disruption, warning of delays and advising of their extent, providing users with the opportunity to take an alternative route if necessary.

Templates have been provided to use to effectively inform road users of any travel disruptions, and an audit to assess how the scheme is working began in July 2016.

Schemes were asked to consider how the VMS could be updated if information was to change suddenly. With MVIS’ innovative Web Studio™, users can update the message in an instant, from any laptop or PC, or any Wi-Fi enabled Apple device, meaning that you have complete control over how you communicate to road users.

Available for hire throughout the UK, our JTS system can be quickly and easily installed without the need for civil engineering or external power provision. Call us on 01629 580 570 to find out more.