when these flash 40 or 60 they slow the whole motorway down, i know thats the idea but it is becoming a cry wofl situation, they flash when they dont need to and if anything cause disruption.

i think they are a brilliant idea especially when they display traffic news and think more should be put on our roads...

but who manages these ?

I believe they are managed by the police.

In germany (driven there a lot) they use a system where they have no speed limits on the motorways until they become busy and then mandatory speed limits are imposed through overhead screens. The idea here is that people not being robots tend to try and get ahead of everyone else, this only helps to slow the motorway down overall as cars bunch up, slow down, ease off, speed up etc cyclically. The mandatory, seemingly low, speed limit is design to stop this happening. It may seem slow but overall everyone gets to their destination quicker. I believe they have modelled this on computers.

I think that the police may be trying to do this also, they have cameras with which they can view queues building up and so slow traffic down further back. If everyone stuck to them we'd all get to our destinations quicker.

I've also noticed they've started putting up signs saying "If not overtaking stay left". Now thats something we could all do to speed the motorways up.

totally, now i may of dreamed this but did i read that the police where trying to monitor cars keeping left ??

the motorways are awful im sooooooooooo up for not letting trucks and lorrys on them at peak times !!!

anybody driven through those roadworks at leicester? 40mph average speed measured limits for about 2 miles. Never been stuck in traffic there once. Everyone sticks to the limit and the traffic flows smoothly. Brilliant.

Ditto for the random nature of the motorway boards here tho. Cause more trouble than they're worth IMO

Originally posted by dinkdankdo10
totally, now i may of dreamed this but did i read that the police where trying to monitor cars keeping left ??

the motorways are awful im sooooooooooo up for not letting trucks and lorrys on them at peak times !!!

Thats another thing they do in germany, during busy times they impose no lorry overtaking. That would really speed things up. lorries gain very little from overtaking apart from a big tail back.

oh i could go on all day about lorries ont eh M1

do they try not to brake ??????? is this the reason they are right up some1's backside then all of a sudden pull out ?

they shouldnt be allowed on at peak times.

another bug bear are those huge trucks, the ones carrying mobile homes etc. they cover2 lanes !!! for crying out loud why are they trying to get up the M1 at 5pm !!!!

......... and why do they let lorries carry sheds?

I am forever hearing on the radio that a hold-up or stoppage has been caused by a "shed load"!

Originally posted by dinkdankdo10
the motorways are awful im sooooooooooo up for not letting trucks and lorrys on them at peak times !!!

They shouldn't be there at all - the bulk of freight should be on the railways.

Originally posted by Andy
They shouldn't be there at all - the bulk of freight should be on the railways.

So should a lot of the people.

Originally posted by dinkdankdo10
when these flash 40 or 60 they slow the whole motorway down, i know thats the idea but it is becoming a cry wofl situation, they flash when they dont need to and if anything cause disruption.

i think they are a brilliant idea especially when they display traffic news and think more should be put on our roads...

but who manages these ?

ITS - Intelligent Transport Systems. If you see hatchings in the road, and a number of cars pass them in a certain period of time it will trigger the speed limit signs.

However if someone happens to park on them, on the hard shoulder or something sometimes it can set them off for no reason.

The accident ones go through the police to activate them.

The A1 really winds me up.

Lorries regularly glide side by side and as there are only two lanes cause a queue of traffic behind them.

However, I find lorry drivers have a better general etiquette.
They let you in more often on slip roads without having to force your way in or stop.

Originally posted by Pook
anybody driven through those roadworks at leicester? 40mph average speed measured limits for about 2 miles. Never been stuck in traffic there once. Everyone sticks to the limit and the traffic flows smoothly. Brilliant.

Ditto for the random nature of the motorway boards here tho. Cause more trouble than they're worth IMO

Yeah, is 40 MPH when everyone's going in the same direction a bit low though? Maybe 50 might be a bit more sensible?

SYP do control them centrally, from the control room at the Operations Complex, Don Valley. They used to be controlled from the old control room at Snig Hill. The console for this consisted of a large widescreen wall board (floor to ceiling) which showed all of the South Yorkshire motorways and major arterial routes. Flashing lights on this map would show incidents, camera/traffic flow fixed obs points and warning signs.

Not sure how they manage it now, although how funny would it be if driving along when suddenly...

"HURRY UP" appeared rather than the usual "TAKE A BREAK TIREDNESS KILLS" message.

I think I would have trouble going straight as a direct result!

it's actually the highways agency that controls the motoway information signs, not the police, the police enforce the traffic laws, the highways agency are responcible for managing traffic flow, diversions etc, they also have their own patrols now.
have a look at this link. http://195.188.249.61/map/browse.cgi?X=400000&Y=450000&width=500&height=300&client=tcc&srec=0&coordsys=gb&scale=2000000&currentChk=checked&trafficChk=checked&vmsChk=checked&

oh is it? that blows me outta the water!

This would suggest that you are both correct:

Who controls the motorway Variable Message Signs (VMS)?

For local incidents, variable message signs are currently set by the police from Police Control Centres.

The National Traffic Control Centre is responsible for the strategic diversion signing which gives specific information to motorists about alternative routes

From:
Highways Agency FAQ (http://www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/facts.htm)

thats just spot lights to monitor traffic look closely ull see

Good lad CGKS, good lad