Highways Agency

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Highways Agency logo
Highways Agency logo

The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in the United Kingdom. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England. It operates a variety of information services, liaises with other government agencies as well as providing staff to deal with incidents on their roads.

Contents

[edit] History and operations

The agency was created by John Major's government on 30 March 1994.[1] The current Chief Executive is Archie Robertson, formerly Director of Operations at the Environment Agency.[specify]

The Agency is responsible for operating the Strategic Road Network in England which consists of most motorways and the important A roads.[2] It has a length of 6,500 miles (10,461 km) which accounts for 33% of all road travel and 50% of lorry travel[3]

The Highways Agency network is split into 14 operational areas,[4] which are managed and maintained by agents, often a joint venture between a civil engineering consultancy and contractor.[specify] In addition, there are some sections of road that are managed by DBFO contracts separate from the area teams, such as the A30 east of Exeter and the M40.[specify] This gives a total of 34 operational areas.[citation needed]

[edit] Traffic Officers

In April 2004, Highways Agency Traffic Officers began working alongside police on motorways in the West Midlands[5]. They work alongside the police in England in an attempt to reduce congestion caused by incidents. Overall it was estimated to cost the UK economy £3billion a year with the closure of one lane estimated at up to £400,000 an hour. The introduction of the officers was aimed to reduce the 25% of delays caused by collisions by around 5%.[5] The roll out of traffic Officers was completed on 18 July 2006 and they now cover the whole of the English motorway network,[6] using high-visibility patrol vehicles.[specify] They are supported by Incident Support Units.[specify]

[edit] Vehicles

HATOs use 4x4 vehicles for patrol duties. Such vehicles are used mainly for their ability to tow broken-down or disabled vehicles to safety if needed- even lorries weighing over 40 tons can be moved short distances if needed. 4x4 vehicles can remain mobile in flood or snow conditions, as well as being able to carry the large amount of safety, first aid, and recovery equipment that the patrols use. Such vehicles also have the advantage of visibility- their size makes them more visible to other motorists when stationary on the hard shoulder (notwithstanding their battenburg markings), and the higher driving position gives the drivers increased visibility over other traffic.

Equipment carried by the vehicles includes traffic cones, first-aid kits, warning lights, water containers, road-clearance equipment and towing/recovery gear, contained in a bolted-in rack system. They also have roof warning lights and variable message signs at the rear. Each patrol has a crew of 2 officers.

Vehicles are used almost 24 hours a day by the different patrol shifts. This, combined with the long distances covered on an average patrol means that the vehicles cover very high mileages. The first batch of vehicles acquired by the Highways Agency was sold off after 18 months of use- some vehicles had covered in excess of 200,000 miles in that time.

A typical Highways Agency Traffic Officer vehicle
A typical Highways Agency Traffic Officer vehicle

The Highways Agency uses vehicles of several types from several manufacturers to prevent the entire patrol fleet being taken off the road due to a manufacturer recall or other fault. The fleet are all diesel-powered and have automatic transmissions for best fuel economy and ease of driving. Vehicles used include:

[edit] Powers

They have the legal authority to manage traffic, close roads, lanes or carriageways, place and operate signage and operate traffic surveys.[7] In addition they will also be involved in clearing accident scenes, debris and otherwise keeping traffic moving.[6]

Drivers are obliged by the Traffic Management Act 2004 to comply with the directions given by Traffic Officers.[8] This is explained in rule 108 of the Highway Code.[9]

“ Highways Agency Traffic Officers have powers to stop vehicles on most motorways and some 'A' class roads, in England only. If HA traffic officers in uniform want to stop your vehicle on safety grounds (e.g. an insecure load) they will, where possible, attract your attention by
  • flashing amber lights, usually from behind
  • directing you to pull over to the side by pointing and/or using the left indicator

You MUST then pull over and stop as soon as it is safe to do so. Then switch off your engine. It is an offence not to comply with their directions.

 ”

[edit] Control Centres

[edit] National

The Highways Agency operates the National Traffic Control Centre, which is the information hub of the English strategic road network.[10]

The £160m centre is based at Quinton near Birmingham and is responsible for providing accurate, real-time information to the driving public.[11] It collects information from MIDAS electronic loops in the road surface, CCTV cameras[12] and over 250 operational partners including the police and local authorities.[13]

It then disseminates this information to the public using 2,500 roadside variable-message signs[14] and the Traffic England website[specify] and the telephone based Highways Agency Information Line (HAIL)[15] as well as distributing information to the media.[12][16] Together with Transport for London it also operates a digital radio station, Traffic Radio, which will be available via DAB and the Internet.[17]

[edit] Regional

Traffic Officers are supported by seven Regional Control Centres across England, some of which are jointly staffed by the police and the Highways Agency.[18] The control centres answer the orange ERTs (emergency roadside telephones) on the motorway and trunk road network,[specify] liaise with breakdown organisations,[specify] allocate Traffic Officers to incidents,[specify] manage and monitor traffic[18] and control the electronic signs on the roads.[18] They also supply information to the National Control Centre.[18]

[edit] Regional Control Centres and Outstations

Quinton, West Midlands

  • Hilton Park
  • Longbridge (M40, Jct 15)
  • Ansty
  • Strensham (M5 Jct 7-8)

Avonmouth, South West

  • Almondsbury (M5 Jct 16)
  • Chelston (M5 Jct 26)
  • Stanton St Quinton (M4 Jct 17)

Godstone, South East

  • Easton Lane (M3 Jct 9)
  • Weatherhill (M23 Jct 8-9)
  • Coldharbour
  • Dartford (and East Region)
  • Heston (and East Region)

South Mimms, East

  • Whittlesford
  • Toddington
  • Milton Common
  • Cheiveley (M4 Jct 13)

Nottingham Business Park, East Midlands

  • Felley
  • Shepshed
  • Watford Gap

Rob Lane, North West

  • Lowhurst
  • Millness
  • Samlesbury
  • Milnrow
  • Knutsford

Calder Park, North East

  • Carville
  • Barton
  • Hartshead
  • Sprotbrough

[edit] Staff

The Highways Agency employs uniformed Traffic Officers; on-road and control room, as well as specialist staff for work in engineering, surveying, accountancy, and administration. There is a graduate entry scheme, with general entry and specialist engineering entry options.[19] Each team is supervised by a Shift Manager, one of between 6 and 8 such managers generally working together, to ensure 24 hour management cover.

UK Highways Agency shoulder slides
Post Highways Agency Control Room Operator Highways Agency Traffic Officer Highways Agency Shift Manager
Slide

The numbers shown are for purposes of illustration only.
Each member of staff of the Highways Agency bears his or her own individual "HA" shoulder number.

[edit] Traffic England

Traffic England is the Highways Agency brand for traffic information.[20] Currently there are two public channels delivering information on the Highways Agency's road network: a web site at trafficengland.com and a telephone service.[21]

The Traffic England web site gives you the latest traffic conditions as well as details of any roadworks or events that may cause congestion.[22] By selecting current motorway information you can see the average speed between individual motorway junctions, what is being displayed on all the variable-message signs, and images from traffic cameras.[23] You can also download your own traffic ticker so the latest traffic news appears straight on your own desktop.[24]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hansard, Vol 240 Col 929 (1994-03-30). Retrieved on 2008-06-05. “My target was to complete the review in time for it to provide the basis for the new Highways Agency, which is being launched today.”
  2. ^ The Traffic Control Centre Project. The Highways Agency's Traffic Control Centre Project. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  3. ^ Trunk Road Proposals and Your Home. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2007-11-18.
  4. ^ Map of the Agency's operational areas. Area Teams. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  5. ^ a b "Civilian patrols police motorways", BBC News, British Broadcasting Corporation, 2004-04-26. Retrieved on 2008-01-01. 
  6. ^ a b Highways Agency (200-607-18). "Traffic officers patrol all motorways in England". Press release. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  7. ^ Why the Highways Agency has Traffic Officers. Highways Agency Traffic Officers. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  8. ^ Our Roles and Responsibilities. Highways Agency Traffic Officers. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  9. ^ Highway Code. Directgov. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.
  10. ^ http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/1298.aspx
  11. ^ http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/1298.aspx
  12. ^ a b Overview. National Traffic Control Centre. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  13. ^ http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/15228.aspx
  14. ^ "Festive test for transport network", BBC News, British Broadcasting Corporation, 2007-12-21. Retrieved on 2008-01-01. 
  15. ^ Better Information (PDF). Highways Agency (May 2004). Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  16. ^ Services to be Delivered. The Highways Agency's Traffic Control Centre Project. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  17. ^ http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/15234.aspx
  18. ^ a b c d Regional Control Centres. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
  19. ^ Career information and graduate scheme details here.
  20. ^ Traffic England: Real-time traffic information. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
  21. ^ Traffic England: Traffic information. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
  22. ^ Traffic England: Event Information. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
  23. ^ Traffic England: Current Motorway Information. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
  24. ^ Highways Agency: Current Motorway Information Ticker. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.

[edit] External links

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