Overview
Temporary roadworks have the reputation for causing congestion, frustrating road users and risking reputational damage to the local authority, utility company or traffic management provider overseeing them. The solution? Multiphase ADS, the UK’s only independently proven system, significantly reducing traffic queues and journey times, transforming traffic management outcomes.
The Challenge
Temporary roadworks – planned or unplanned – have a reputation for causing congestion. Unpopular with road users who believe them to be poorly managed and responsible for longer journey times, they risk damaging the reputation of the local authority, utility provider or traffic management company overseeing them.
The problem is worse in areas with a tidal flow of traffic, for instance into and out of cities where volumes of traffic peak in one direction and then ebb away before building in the opposite direction in the early evening.
With hundreds of temporary traffic lights in operation on the UK’s roads at any one time, and with traffic volumes continuing to grow, local authorities and traffic management companies were keen to find a solution that could quickly and effectively discharge queues as they began to build and could facilitate 2, 3 and 4 way control.
The Solution
Our technical manager Nick Yardley knew that basic logic systems didn’t cater for varying levels of traffic at temporary traffic lights and that this caused queues, especially on intersections where the volume of traffic from one direction was particularly heavy. So, he developed a product that minimises driver frustration by rebalancing queue lengths and reduces journey times during peak traffic flow.
The Multiphase ADS went into development in spring 2020 and by autumn the same year it was ready to go live on the UK road network. It works by connecting a high accuracy radar detector (which collects vital data about real time traffic volumes and speeds at the roadside) to temporary traffic lights using a clever algorithm that adjusts the green time for optimum traffic management.
The busier the road, the greater the benefit from using this unique technology which also takes into account site-specific factors like HGV lag. It also utilises green time of up to 60 seconds, significantly reducing interstage time (the period between one set of lights going red and the next going green) to further improve traffic flow.
SRL’s Multiphase ADS is especially effective in areas with tidal traffic flow because of its ability to reduce the build-up of traffic moving in a single direction. Once peak flow has diminished and congestion eases, this dynamic system adjusts green time to reflect the quieter traffic conditions.
“Multiphase ADS is THE smart choice for managing congestion around temporary traffic lights”
“We’ve seen results showing journey times at road works significantly improve [with ADS]. The hi-tech lights reduce the risk to operatives on site, remove complaints and enhance public perception.”
Daryl Cheetham Executive Director | Go Traffic ManagementThe Result
Confident in the ability of our product to reduce congestion we looked to substantiate our in-house findings, so we asked independent consultants and industry experts at IRConsultancy/Bryan G Hall to conduct an objective study of the system using a ‘live’ scenario with 3-way control, in a heavily saturated tidal flow location in Yorkshire.
The results exceeded even our high expectations…
Benefits for Road Users
Over a one hour period at the test junction with 3 way control, the impact of replacing basic logic with SRL’s Multiphase ADS was:
- Reduction in average queue length of 49.78%.
- Reduction in maximum queue length of 29.27%
- Reduction in average journey time at the junction of 22.34%
- Reduction in average journey time during peak flow (between 8.40am and 9.00am across all routes) of 39.73%
- Reduction in journey time for the route with the highest flow of traffic (North to South in the study) of 52.38%
Additional benefits for traffic managers and local authorities
- The only system offering 2, 3 or 4 way control.
- Adapts to traffic conditions in real time.
- Quick and easy to install.
- Site staff removed from high risk manual light operation.
- No site visits needed to make timing alterations.
- False start rectification (it won’t stick on red if vehicles fail to move off quickly)
- Compatible with your existing Eurolight Master equipment.
- 10 year free software upgrade on all SRL products and systems
- 14 day runtime.
- Branded boxes available on long term hire agreements.
- Reduced complaints from road users and improved perception around temporary road works.
One of a kind
SRL’s innovative Multiphase ADS provides a genuine solution to the problem of congestion around temporary road works. Not only does it reduce queue lengths and journey times, it is the only product available on the market whose impact has also been independently tested and verified and it is the only product able to offer 2, 3 and 4 way control.
Study conducted by I R Consultancy is available in full on request.
Simple or complex, we have the solution.
Fill out our simple contact form and one of our specialists will be in touch to discuss how SRL can help:
- 24-hour service, 365 days a year
- Rapid response times – we’re on the frontline with you
- Robust, reliable products that are built to last
- A comprehensive product range with a solution for every occasion
