The Highways Agency will ensure that traffic queuing to join the M25 does not back up on to local roads, as a part of a joint initiative with local authorities around the orbital motorway.
Transport secretary Douglas Alexander has ordered the agency to work with councils to dovetail traffic management on the motorway and local network as a way of ‘locking in’ the benefits of a £2bn widening programme.
The agency plans to install ‘ramp metering’ to control access to Europe’s busiest motorway as an extra lane is added to its remaining three-lane sections. This follows the recommendation of the ORBIT multi-modal study into easing movement in the orbital corridor. It says that there is ‘little point’ in just widening because the new lanes would simply fill up with traffic.
Modelling by the HA had shown ‘potentially considerable benefit’ by operating traffic management techniques jointly with local authorities, said Alexander. He promised better overall journey times for the majority of road-users across both networks.
‘It is vital we harness local authorities’ local knowledge at the planning stage, as well as developing a joint approach in applying that knowledge,’ the secretary of state added. Local authorities welcomed Alexander’s commitment, given the potential for ramp metering to put approach roads under pressure. ‘We don’t agree that congestion on motorways should be rectified by transferring it to the local network,’ said George Burnett, senior policy manager at Surrey County Council.
The HA had indicated, in informal talks, that loops would be fitted on local roads to override signals on slip roads as traffic backed up. Councils would support initiatives which avoided adverse impacts on local roads, he said.
Signs with real-time information on motorway conditions were another potential measure. This would allow motorists on local roads to alter their route. ‘We do talk to the HA but we haven’t had the level of co-operation the Government is now suggesting,’ Burnett added.
Hertfordshire County Council also welcomed the promise of closer working. A series of meetings had been scheduled for September, a council spokesperson confirmed.
The Government accepted the case for widening in July 2003, although area-wide charging was the preferred strategy for locking-in the extra capacity in the ORBIT multi-modal study, ordered by the-then environment and transport secretary, John Prescott. Construction is due to start in 2008, with sections widened in stages to 2016.
More sophisticated ramp-metering technology was being exploited on controlled motorway schemes in the Northwest, an HA spokesman said. Joint working with councils would be ‘a significant move forward,’ but there was ‘no commitment to spend money from our budget on their schemes’.