NEWS


First sections of the M25 smart motorway open, as Government begins M4 smart motorway consultation


Te designers of the M25 smart motorway project are hailing the speed with which they delivered the solution, saying it “sets new standards” in accelerated delivery across all project disciplines. Te initial ten mile (16km)


section between junctions 23 and 25 in Hertfordshire opened just before Easter, with the second section in Kent completed at the beginning of May. A further section in Hertfordshire and Essex opens in December. Motorists use the hard shoulder as a fully-operational lane. Tis is the first time the


hard shoulder with variable speed limits has been imple- mented as a full-time lane. Te project has been delivered


by Skanska Balfour Beatty (SBB), working on behalf of Connect Plus for the Highways Agency. SBB says it took best practice


developed during the implemen- tation of its recently-completed M25 major improvements schemes and led the industry with extensive implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) from inception, saving millions of pounds on initial project budget projections. 3D modelling soſtware


helped detect design issues with the models able to be sent


and downloaded instantly on tablets and laptops, speeding up the Quality Assurance process which was subject to electronic rather than ‘in person’ sign off. Te company says by embrac-


ing these and other improved ways of working, it was able to complete the first sec- tion of the project ahead of schedule and under budget. SBB Engineering Director


Kieran McGibbon said “Te key to this project’s success has been safely reducing timescales on eve- rything from preliminary stages


through to design and build.” Connect Plus CEO Tim Jones,


said: “I am delighted that we have achieved another major milestone on our journey to transform the M25, on behalf of the Highways Agency, into a high capacity world-class motorway with exemplary levels of safety and reliability. Te Highways Agency says


the eventual 145 new lane miles will help boost the economy and underpin jobs. Meanwhile the Highways


TFL LANE RENTAL SCHEME CUTS ROADWORK DISRUPTION BY ALMOST 50%


London’s deputy mayor for transport is hailing a new lane management scheme, saying it has saved drivers thousands of hours spent stuck in traffic. Isabel Dedring (pictured)


was reacting to a study into the scheme, launched nearly two years ago, which encourages utility companies to avoid dig- ging the busiest roads at peak


8


times. 90 per cent of works have avoided disrupting key routes in rush hours. Te study found that disruption caused by planned roadworks had been cut by 46 per cent in total. Alan Bristow, Director of


Road Space Management at TfL, said: “Te introduction of the UK’s first lane rental scheme in London has already delivered


significant benefits across the capital. By using this scheme to help fund more innovation and world-leading technologies, we can continue to reduce disrup- tion and keep all road users on London’s road network moving.” Surplus money raised from


lane rental will be invested in disruption reduction measures including automatic roadwork


smarthighways.net


Agency has begun its con- sultations into plans to turn more than 30 miles of the M4 into a smart motorway. Te improvement, earmarked


to be completed by 2021, would involved adding capacity by converting the hard shoulder into an additional late on the stretch between Heathrow at Junction 3 and Teale at Junction 12. Project Manager Lynne Stinson


said “Based on proven benefits elsewhere, we are planning extra capacity by converting the hard shoulder into an additional traffic lane and introduc- ing variable mandatory speed limits displayed overhead to help smooth the flow of traffic.” Subject to gaining consent,


construction would be carried out in phases from 2016. In addition to 103km of new traffic lane taken from the existing hard shoulder, the propos- als would result in 131 new gantries and 11 rebuilt bridges. Te scheme will also fea-


ture technology elements including MIDAS queue protection technology, CCTV coverage, MS4 information signs and lane specific speed signals at certain locations. Te improvement would cost up to £862million.


monitoring cameras, ANPR cameras and traffic counters to capture the effects of the scheme, and futher investiga- tion into innovative schemes.


Vol 2 No 1 smartHIGHWAYS


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