New driver information system for M25

Journey times now displayed on electronic signs

7 September 2007 23:13 GMT / By Jonathan Goddard

Drivers on the M25 can now see real-time information on how long their journey will take on electronic roadside signs as a new service is rolled out across England.

This new service follows a trial in the West Midlands and South West which has proved popular with motorists, with 89% of those questioned saying they favoured the scheme.

The messages, part of a new service from the National Traffic Control Centre, tell drivers the expected travel time to specific junctions on the M25. This information will help motorists make more informed decisions about their journeys. The M25, Europe's busiest motorway, is the latest area to be covered by the service, which now includes the original trial area in the West Midlands, the M6 up to Carlisle and the M5 down to the South West.

The system works by using current information captured from automatic number plate recognition cameras and comparing it against historical traffic data on that particular stretch of motorway. The travel time is automatically recalculated every five minutes and if an incident, such as a collision, causes delays on the motorway above a pre-determined threshold, the sign will automatically switch from showing the travel time message to displaying the estimated delay time. If the sign is needed to display an important safety message, the travel or delay time will be over-written.

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Car And GPS, Cars