Vehicle to improve safety and reduce disruption on motorways

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.
September 16, 2016 Read time: 1 min

A new maintenance assistance vehicle (MAV) developed by 8101 Highways England and 1869 Mott MacDonald to help replace overhead signs was inspired by an aircraft catering vehicle and is set to reduce the duration of roadworks.

Traditionally, signs are mounted and removed using a flat-bed truck, crane and access platform – a process that can take up to 40 minutes. However with the MAV’s hydraulically elevating body, this can be achieved in around 20 to 25 minutes by using a small jib crane which is mounted on the vehicle itself.

Once elevated to the correct height, the jib crane lifts the detached sign off the gantry and the operatives use a trolley to move it into the truck’s main body. This procedure is reversed when installing a new signs.

The hydraulically powered scissor lift enables the signs at heights of up to 8.5m to be serviced in wind speeds of up to 47mph, while its CCTV cameras enable the driver to correctly position the vehicle below the gantry before maintenance and monitor the operatives while they work.

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Mobile speed enforcement for Canadian police
    February 21, 2013
    Police cars in Laval, Canada have been equipped with dashboard-mounted directional traffic radar systems in a bid to reduce speeding in the municipality. The BEE III devices, supplied by MPH Industries of Kentucky, USA, through their Canadian distributor 911 Pro, have been installed in ninety vehicles, and, according to Constable Nathalie Lorrain, around 200 police officers will be trained to use the units. Lorrain said Laval police previously depended on hand-held laser units to be able to monitor speeding
    Read More
  • Christie’s screens give safety and efficiency gains at CUMTD
    June 26, 2014
    Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (CUMTD) has increased security and operational efficiency with a new 10-screen transportation control room at its recently-built headquarters building. The authority created a new safety and security system and images from any of the 300 cameras can be displayed on the new video wall which made up from 10 of Christie’s latest 55inch LCD screens. The cameras are installed at the busiest bus stops, at the Illinois Terminal Transfer Facility and in CUMTD’s maintenance and
    Read More
  • Highways England is performing well but has areas for improvement, finds regulator
    July 21, 2017
    The Annual Assessment of Highways England’s Performance by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has found that the company is performing well against most of its performance targets. ORR says however that continued improvement is needed to plan when work takes place throughout the year. ORR, which is the official Monitor of Highways England, found that the company is meeting its targets to keep traffic flowing while delivering its programme of major improvements. It is continuing to focus on improving safety a
    Read More
  • Intertraffic Awards 2022: shortlist announced!
    February 4, 2022
    Winners will be revealed at the opening ceremony of Intertraffic Amsterdam in March
    Read More

Highlighted Content