Welcome. Smart motorway M6 junctions 13 to 15 public information exhibition. Highways England Creative BHM18_0060_RHK

Transcription

1 Welcome Smart motorway M6 junctions 13 to 15 public information exhibition

2 Smart motorways Smart motorways are a technology driven approach to the use of our motorways, increasing capacity and relieving congestion while maintaining safety. Smart motorways help Drivers are enjoying the benefits of smart motorways across the country without safety being adversely affected our motorways continue to be some of the safest in the world. make journey times more reliable. If you would like to know more about the M6 Technology is installed to monitor and manage traffic flow. As well as the additional capacity junctions 13 to 15 smart motorway scheme you can contact us at: from the extra lane, the technology manages traffic using variable speed limits to smooth M6.j1315@highwaysengland.co.uk traffic, reducing frustrating stopstart flow and improving journey reliability. It is also used to support the response to incidents, using the signs and signals to close any lane in advance of the incident scene. Tranche Tranche 0 M1 J3235a M1 J2831 M1 J3942 M3 J24a M6 J10a13 M25 J57 M25 J2327 Tranche 1 M1 J1916 M5 J4a6 M6 J1619 Est. start of works Commenced Commenced Est. to be open for traffic Q417/18 Q318/19 Liverpool M6 Newcastle Upon Tyne A1M Leeds Manchester A1M York M1 J3942 M1 J3235a Tranche 0 Tranche 1 Tranche 2 Tranche 2 M1 J2425 M4 J312 M6 J24 M6 J1315 Commenced Q416/17 Q417/18 Q417/18 Q318/19 Q421/22 Q419/20 Q420/21 M6 J1619 M6 J1315 M6 M1 Nottingham M1 J2831 M1 J2425 Schemes open to traffic Q = Quarter within year Crown copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey M6 J10a13 M6 J24 M5 J4a6 M5 Birmingham M1 Bedford Norwich M1 J1916 M11 A1M M25 J2327 [ACTION: check with SMP comms that this map and table is uptodate each Bristol M4 J312 M4 M3 London M25 time you use this template. Exeter Southampton Brighton M25 J57 DELETE this box after action has been done] M3 J24a

3 M6 junctions 13 to 15 smart motorway We are improving the busy 17 miles (28km) stretch of the M6 between Junction 13 at A53 NewcastleunderLyme Stokeon Stafford and Junction 15 near Newcastleunder Trent Lyme and StokeonTrent by upgrading it to an A53 15 A500 all lane running (ALR) smart motorway. Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2018 and the smart motorway is expected to be open to traffic by March A51 M6 A34 The project involves: A51 Converting the hard shoulder to create a permanent fourth lane between junctions 13 and 15. A520 New electronic information signs and signals and CCTV cameras on gantries. These will show variable mandatory speed limits and Stone manage traffic flow and incidents. Stafford S Services S Stafford Eccleshall Services 20 Emergency Areas (EAs). A51 A5013 The hardening of the central reserve and A34 installation of a reinforced concrete barrier to improve safety. A5013 M6 Great Replacement of Burton Bank footbridge. Bridgeford 14 Demolition of Creswell Home Farm overbridge. A34 A513 Installing approximately 2km of new noise M6 barriers. A518 A449 Stafford A34 New lighting and improvements to the slip roads at Junction 15. A A34 A449 Acton Trussell Crown copyright and database rights 2018 OS

4 Smart technology A smart motorway has technology installed to monitor and manage traffic flow. It is important that you understand the signs and comply. CCTV and sensors detect and monitor congestion and incidents, so we can set appropriate speed limits and manage incidents effectively. When lanes are closed, signs display a red X showing which lanes cannot be used. Speed limits vary and are applied at times of congestion, to prevent stopstart conditions. Signs in the verge or above the carriageway advise you of the speed limit, any lane If no speed limit is shown the national speed limit applies. closures and provide information on road conditions such as severe weather. new gantries new signals new CCTV cameras traffic monitoring radar detector emergency areas message signs lower noise surfacing signs concrete barriers under carriageway ducts technology ducting

5 Better journeys Smart motorways are an effective way to provide more capacity on our busiest motorways while maintaining safety and at a third of the cost of widening schemes, meaning better value for the tax payer. Our M25 two year after reports show that all lane running smart motorways are meeting our expectations; improving journey time reliability, reducing collisions and casualty rates while being used by more vehicles. All lane running, which involves permanent conversion of the hard shoulder as a live lane for traffic to use, provides an opportunity to modernise and improve far more of our motorways than under previous approaches. The approach also supports economic growth. The M6 junctions 13 to 15 scheme is an important element of Highways England s continuing plan to improve England s motorway network. A representation of what smart motorways look like

6 Emergency areas Emergency Areas provide an area of relative safety following a breakdown. If you are driving at 60mph you will reach a place you can stop in an emergency every 75 seconds on average. There will be 20 visible new Emergency Areas within the M6 junctions 13 to 15 smart motorway scheme. Motorway service areas and hard shoulders where available can also be used. There is an emergency telephone in each Emergency Area. This connects you to Highways England s Regional Control Centres and pinpoints your location. Remember to use the emergency telephone as this automatically pinpoints your location

7 Incident management Incidents such as accidents and breakdowns are managed by our control centre staff. The control centre monitors traffic conditions throughout each incident and reopen lanes as soon as it is safe to do so. If the accident or breakdown means vehicles are unable to get off the carriageway or reach an emergency area, we can use technology We are working closely with the emergency services as these major improvements are rolled out on our motorways. to close any lane on the motorway. Control centre staff set signs to inform other road users about what is happening and manage traffic so that the people involved in the incidents are protected and an access route is cleared for emergency vehicles. 1 Incident detection 2 Emergency service on scene 3 Incident protection and clearing 4 Incident cleared and smart motorway reopened

8 Red signs Red signs are used for safety reasons to close lanes: to protect road users who may have broken down or been involved in an incident. to provide access and protection for the emergency services, our traffic officers and our road workers. If you see a Red symbol on a gantry sign over or at the side of the motorway it means that the lane is closed for one or more of these reasons. Driving in a lane with a Red symbol is illegal and dangerous and drivers must not use it. A representation of a Red X message sign on the verge A representation of a Red X message sign on a full gantry

9 Environment Highways England is committed to delivering The key issues considered include: better environmental outcomes. In remaining within current motorway boundaries, smart motorways have the builtin advantage of Air quality, noise and visual impacts in relation to nearby housing. minimising scheme environmental footprints. In addition, we carry out thorough environmental assessments to identify and assess potential environmental impacts and recommend The sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) at Doxey and Tillington Marshes and King s and Hargreaves Woods. mitigation that can be included in the scheme to minimise them. Surveys for protected species: we have identified bats, badger setts and great We have carried out an environmental crested newts next to the motorway. assessment that covers topics including noise and vibration, air quality, ecology and visual impacts. The setting of conservation areas and heritage assets such as Trentham Park. Public Rights of Way. Great crested newts being observed in nearby ponds

10 Construction It is anticipated that during construction traffic management will be in place including narrow lanes, temporary safety barriers, contraflow and speed restrictions to protect The work will involve installation of gantries and monitoring equipment, new drainage systems, safety barriers, construction of emergency refuge areas and carriageway resurfacing. our road workers and the travelling public. The construction of the scheme will be There will be temporary closures of the carriageways at night on some occasions. In governed by the Construction, Design and Management Regulations. these instances clearly signed diversions will be put in place. Further details will be provided on the project web pages as they become available If you live near the motorway, your view of both before and during construction. the M6 between junctions 13 and 15 may change during construction as we will need to remove some vegetation to build new gantries. We will be replanting where we Construction is due to start in March 2018 and we expect to open the smart motorway by March can to help to screen views of motorway equipment. Existing noise barriers will be taken down in sections during the construction and will be replaced. Working on building retaining walls for EAs