Instant messaging for Manchester’s motorists

Transport for Greater Manchester has installed variable message signs (VMS) on some of the city’s busiest roads to provide motorists with live traffic information. Eight VMS are now fully operational on roads across the region, displaying live journey time estimates and details of road traffic incidents and disruption. A further 19 signs are expected to be operational by the end of March 2015. Each sign is carefully located near to a key decision point, such as the intersection of a main route, a park
January 27, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
817 Transport for Greater Manchester has installed variable message signs (VMS) on some of the city’s busiest roads to provide motorists with live traffic information.

Eight VMS are now fully operational on roads across the region, displaying live journey time estimates and details of road traffic incidents and disruption. A further 19 signs are expected to be operational by the end of March 2015.

Each sign is carefully located near to a key decision point, such as the intersection of a main route, a park and ride site, a major train station, an interchange or a public transport stop. The locations were carefully chosen in consultation with local authorities, taking into account factors such as speed limits and distances from the decision points. This was done to allow plenty of time for road users to process the information displayed, decide on the best course of action, and make their intervention in a timely and safe manner.

The full colour matrix signs can display both text and graphics, such as standard road sign symbols, and are linked directly to the state-of-the-art urban traffic control room at Transport for Greater Manchester’s headquarters.

The aim is to develop the system using the link and allow it, in the long-term, to provide information such as live diversions, comparisons between public transport journey times and cycling data. The overarching objective, other than to provide real time information, is to give all road users an informed choice to meet their travel needs.

The signs are also able to display photographs and live stream footage, which will future-proof them should the current legislation change.
Urban Traffic Control Air Quality & Weather Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Taking the long term view to toll safety, adopting new technology
    July 17, 2012
    OmniAir's Tim McGuckin takes a look at what happens when a tolling authority makes safety its principal operating criterion. The bottom - line effects, he says, are not as onerous as one might think. Replacing an existing 915MHz-based Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system with a new 915MHz system for toll collection is - from a technology standpoint - comparable to trading in your 1999 high-mileage Buick for another 1999 Buick with '0' on the odometer.
    Read More
  • Live bus prediction technology launched
    January 22, 2013
    Bus passengers in San Bernardino, California now have up-to-the-minute, accurate bus arrival information at their fingertips with bus operator Omnitrans’ new NexTrip technology. Passengers can access NexTrip real-time bus information via mobile web browser, desktop computer, SMS/text, or by calling 1-800-9-OMNIBUS and selecting the NexTrip option. Online, customers can view buses and stops on a route map with real-time tracking. They even can sign up for automatic alerts, such as notification when the bus i
    Read More
  • Auto-braking cars: government should meet motorists halfway
    March 25, 2014
    A UK Government incentive for drivers buying cars with anti-crash technology would save 60 lives and result in 760 fewer serious casualties reported to the police, in just three years. Over ten years, such an incentive would save 1,220 lives and nearly 136,000 casualties, according to Thatcham Research, the insurance industry’s automotive research centre. At a briefing seeking support from senior politicians, health organisations, insurers and vehicle manufacturers at the House of Commons today, Peter S
    Read More
  • When weather warnings get hyperlocal
    August 24, 2016
    David Crawford looks at new technologies to cope with the age-old problem of driving in bad weather. On the 10-year average, between 2005 and 2014 bad weather contributed to more than 1.5 million vehicle crashes in the US each year, resulting in more than 800,000 injuries and 7,400 deaths. These were the findings of analysis by Booz Allen Hamilton of NHTSA data which concluded that the loss of life, hospital treatment and damage to assets costs an annual average of $42bn.
    Read More

Highlighted Content