Mott MacDonald designed M2M metering scheme begins testing

Mott MacDonald (MM) has designed a Highways England scheme to smooth traffic flows, reduce queues and to combat eastbound congestion on the M62's junction 10 and 11 as well as traffic joining the motorway from the M6 northbound and southbound link roads. The project will operate during 2018 and be monitored to evaluate the benefits. Called The Motorway to Motorway (M2M) metering pilot scheme, it combines variable mandatory speed limits on the M62 and metering using traffic signals between the M6 to M62
December 20, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

1869 Mott MacDonald (MM) has designed a Highways England scheme to smooth traffic flows, reduce queues and to combat eastbound congestion on the M62's junction 10 and 11 as well as traffic joining the motorway from the M6 northbound and southbound link roads. The project will operate during 2018 and be monitored to evaluate the benefits.

Called The Motorway to Motorway (M2M) metering pilot scheme, it combines variable mandatory speed limits on the M62 and metering using traffic signals between the M6 to M62 eastbound to make best use of the available road capacity. These are set to respond to prevailing traffic conditions, with information displayed on overhead gantries, using advanced motorway indicators and variable message signs. MM has developed algorithms to coordinate the separate systems. Where no mandatory speed restriction is displayed the national speed limit will apply.

Stuart Scott, MM, project principal, said: “Highways England is committed to building upon the success of its existing smart motorway programme. The M2M scheme increases the resilience of the overall network, with the benefit to the road user of smoother traffic flows, improved journey times and increased quality of information provided.”

“By utilising the latest technologies and making use of the existing capacity of the link roads, the M2M scheme is a lower cost solution than conventional widening programmes. Additionally, it does not require additional road-space, leading to a low environmental impact during construction while delivering a positive impact during operation,” Scott added.

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Detection analysis technology successfully predicts traffic flows
    February 3, 2012
    David Crawford investigates new detection analysis technology from IBM. Locations on both the East and West Coasts of the US are scheduled for early deployments of IBM's new Traffic Prediction Tool (TPT) statistical analysis model for the fine-time resolution and near-term prediction of road flow conditions. Developed by IBM's Watson Research Laboratories, TPT is designed to analyse data from the the key detection indicators - average vehicle volumes and speeds passing a location in a given time interval -
    Read More
  • Vehicle to improve safety and reduce disruption on motorways
    September 16, 2016
    A new maintenance assistance vehicle (MAV) developed by Highways England and Mott MacDonald to help replace overhead signs was inspired by an aircraft catering vehicle and is set to reduce the duration of roadworks.
    Read More
  • Motorists want roads repaired before smart motorways, says survey
    December 5, 2014
    According to research by Bury-based online car supermarket JamJar Direct, which indicates that 47 per cent of Greater Manchester motorists claim to have been affected by the construction works, communications around the M60 smart motorway improvements are sorely lacking. Almost two thirds of Greater Manchester motorists (62 per cent) are aware that the M60 is being turned into a smart motorway, but over 40 per cent, equivalent to 81,000 vehicles per day using affected stretch of M60 between junctions 8 a
    Read More
  • Carrots are proving cost-effective in Netherlands
    October 3, 2018
    There are lessons to be learned from congestion avoidance schemes in the Netherlands. David Crawford welcomes some new thinking in road pricing. Highway operators worldwide are being urged to learn from Dutch experience in using financial carrots rather than sticks to encourage drivers to avoid contributing to congestion. A Netherlands/UK group makes a convincing cost/benefit case in a new global survey of road pricing technologies, economics and acceptability. Representing the Rijkswaterstaat section of
    Read More

Highlighted Content