M1 junctions 28 to 31 Safety Enhancements
Highways England are bringing a further safety enhancement to our upgraded M1 between junctions 28 and 31.
We are introducing radar technology to this section of the motorway to detect stopped vehicles.
Already motorways have a system called MIDAS (Motorway Incident Detection and Automatic Signalling). This uses sensors to monitor traffic volumes and speed to then automatically set signs and signals as the motorway becomes more congested.
The new radar technology identifies a stopped vehicle, typically within 20 seconds, and provides an alert to our control room. Once confirmed, our operators then set a Red X sign to close one or more lanes, adjust speed limits and deploy traffic officers. Using radar means that there is a significant reduction in the time taken for the control room operators to be notified, verify the presence of stationary vehicles and provide warning to motorists.
This additional technology will complement the existing measures which work together as a safety system on our upgraded motorways. These include CCTV, enforcement cameras, signs and signals which can alert drivers to hazards and change the speed limit if necessary, and emergency areas that are set back from the road for drivers to pull into and which have emergency telephones that directly link to our control rooms when help is needed.
About our roadworks
To introduce the technology, we will install radar units at the side of the road to monitor the motorway in both directions.
On the M1 between junctions 28 and 31 work will start week commencing 23 August. This will be followed by a period to commission the technology. We anticipate the work taking a few months to complete, but it will be carried out overnight from 8pm to 5am with temporary lane closures. All restrictions will be removed during the day.
We may need to cut back some vegetation during night shifts to ensure the stopped vehicle detection equipment can see the road, but we will keep this to a minimum and we don’t expect to have to remove any mature trees. Towards the end of the upgrade work, we may need to close the road overnight for the testing and commissioning work.
Further information
We would like to apologise in advance for any disturbance this work may cause. We will ensure all noisy equipment is switched off when not in use and minimise disruption wherever we can. Some temporary lighting will be needed for safety reasons but, where possible, this will be angled away from residential properties. Our operatives will be briefed on the importance of considerate night time working.
How to contact us
If you would like to discuss this work, or need further information, please contact Highways England on 0300 123 5000 or email StoppedVehicleDetection@highwaysengland.co.uk. You can also visit our website here.
