Skip to main content

Variable speed limits to be introduced in Scotland

Motorists using the M90 in Scotland will face the country’s first variable speed limits in three weeks time when a new traffic control system is launched on the road north of the Forth Road Bridge. The intelligent transport system, which goes live on 4 December on the M90 northbound, has been installed as part of construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing, which is due to open in four years time. Speeds will be automatically lowered by traffic sensors under the road surface when they detect congestion,
November 15, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Motorists using the M90 in Scotland will face the country’s first variable speed limits in three weeks time when a new traffic control system is launched on the road north of the Forth Road Bridge.

The intelligent transport system, which goes live on 4 December on the M90 northbound, has been installed as part of construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing, which is due to open in four years time.

Speeds will be automatically lowered by traffic sensors under the road surface when they detect congestion, to smooth traffic flow and reduce delays.

The system will also operate on the M90 southbound and on the M9, south of the Forth Road Bridge, from early next year. Similar systems are in use on the M25 around London and M42 near Birmingham.

Transport minister Keith Brown said: “The Forth Replacement Crossing continues to progress on time and on budget and I’m delighted that we can now begin to turn on the ITS systems to help manage and improve traffic flow and provide buses with a dedicated lane.”

Related Content

  • Sri Lanka launches new highway traffic management system
    August 11, 2015
    Sri Lanka has recently opened the new highway traffic management system (HTMS), implemented by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, (MHI) on the country’s Southern Expressway. The installation is the country's first full-scale system of its kind, and it is expected to contribute significantly to improved safety and reduced congestion on a local expressway. The expressway, which opened in 2013, stretches 120 kilometres from Colombo, the largest city in Sri Lanka, to Matara. Construction work was performed under
  • Why intersections have got smarter in Chattanooga
    March 13, 2023
    Tennessee city has joined the ranks of urban areas seeing the benefit of ITS technology, particularly Lidar, at smart intersections – with a little help from Seoul Robotics. Adam Hill dives into the detail
  • Ertico working on ITS World Congress 2027 delivery 'at full speed'
    November 28, 2024
    Organiser Ertico - ITS Europe names host committee chairs for UK event
  • New technology revolution in urban traffic control?
    January 26, 2012
    Urban traffic control is a well-defined and practised art. Nevertheless, there are technologies here and on the horizon with the potential to revolutionise how we do things. By Gavin Jackman and Andrew Kirkham, TRL, and Jason Barnes. Distributed monitoring and control of urban traffic networks and flows is nothing new. PC-based Urban Traffic Control (UTC) is now well established and operating in many locations around the world. However, it is worth considering the effects of the huge growth in the use of sm