And your point is■■?
was just saying whats up on the gantry each morning…
this morning when there was a acident under the A137 on the A14 the first gantry was off…and the next one which was after the accident said there is a accident at a1234/a137 with a 15 minute delay.
Couple of words about the VMS signs. (Variable Message Signs)
FOG. Yes, you’re all right! every one of you, I hate setting them! but if we don’t set them, and Mr Numpty crashes, he says “I didn’t know it was foggy, the signs weren’t lit up!” (trust me, they do!! 
)
They only get set if;…
A) A Police patrol calls up asking for them.
B) A HATO patrol calls up asking for them.
C) We can see from the control room via CCTV that it’s foggy, and the distance is 300 yds. so if I can see 3 lampposts on CCTV, they don’t get set!
To have them cleared, C is easy, but proceedures say that for A & B it needs a patrol to shout up to clear them, if all the patrols are dealing with other incidents, then it becomes a problem, sometimes you just have to make a calculated guess.
(I hate FOG signs, you can’t win whatever you do!)
When there’s an incident that effects the live lanes, we only set the signals in the immediate locality, if that incident is likely to go on for over 15 minutes, we have to inform the NTCC (National Traffic Control Centre) giving them the information of the incident, and guessing how long it may affect the motorway.
ie. a closure for a fatal accident will last at least 4 hours minimum. they then work out a 4 hour travelling time to that location, and start to set strategic VMS warning drivers of the incident, that’s why you may see signs set to warn about incidents that are MILES away. Even when the incident has been cleared, the congestion can still affect things for hours, so the VMS is then changed to “Long Delays”
The “10 miles to Timbucktoo, 8 mins” VMS are now automatic, and again are a pain if we have an incident, because we’ve then got to deal with the incident signage, and call the NTCC to get these switched off.
8 wheels, On a normal VMS the most letters on a line (inc spaces) is 16 and that on the big VMS, usual length is only 12, so your message has no chance, I’m afraid you’ll have to learn the junction numbers you need.
I’ve got to say, if you’re reporting something in that’s urgent, either use the ERT (m/way phone) or 999. the Highways info line takes a good few minutes to filter through to us. It’s great thought to contact about anything else, complaints or praise.
There was a good one this week
M11 Closed Tonight
J10 - J12
Delays Possible
Sort of stating the obvious really but it made me chuckle.
Probably better than “M1 J10 - J8 OAP LANE 2 DELAYS POSSIBLE” 
8wheels:
There was a good one this weekM11 Closed Tonight
J10 - J12
Delays Possible
Sort of stating the obvious really but it made me chuckle.
Trust me, you have to state the obvious! and even then some won’t believe you, and rant about it when they’re stuck in the traffic.
leeb2461:
hammer:
leeb2461:
The info is always useful to someone but never yourself, take yesterday at 0430 on the M5 J3 the sign read M25 J25 - J27 closed. Great that will help me plan my journey - NOTTheres no pleasing some people is there.
True to a point yes. But the sign could be put up on the M40 or M1 as alternative action can be taken then (anti or clockwise being your choice) not the M5 in Birmingham.
Of course, in Birmingham, that might make a difference to whether you choose M6-M1-M25, M6-A14-M11-M25, or M40-M25
If they tell you on the M5, you’ve got the possibility of stopping at Frankley or Hopwood Park to have a look at the map, rather than trying to re-plan your journey whilst still driving.
Ex Trucker
A lot of fog signs are set automatically by sensors at roadside.Two grey round tubes facing each other.
At last , I never understood what these were for. I thought they were lasers to measure for subsidence or earthquakes 
So when the fog signs are still on in brilliant sunshine, is that caused by the Polish truck, HATO van or Police car parked on the verge between them?
(delete as applicable according to your particular sense of umbrage)
Wheel Nut:
So when the fog signs are still on in brilliant sunshine, is that caused by the Polish truck, HATO van or Police car parked on the verge between them?(delete as applicable according to your particular sense of umbrage)
Nearly, Try spiders web parked over lens
the m42 is bad…very bad.
late evening becomes a joke when the cone heads come out…the signs say 40fast/30middle/20 yes 20 in the slow lane…now have you tried doing 20mph.
for mile after mile to find no conehead there?
they must set the matrix and overheads then we wait while the coneheads finish thier maccy d’s.
the problem is the safety side of things just goes out the window.
the old orange beacon thing happens and everyone just ignore’s them…leaving us all exposed when they really are needed,ie working on the shoulder for real.
and i’ve noticed the same at catthorpe…the queue sign is now almost pernamently lit,no doubt to try to cut the accidents there.but eventually that will be ignored too.
Last week - Tuesday I think, M6 between J6 & J7 N the matrix said M5 closed. So I turned round at J7 and went through Bitmingham on the M/A38. It turns out that the M5 was not closed, only the slip road to it.
gardun:
Last week - Tuesday I think, M6 between J6 & J7 N the matrix said M5 closed. So I turned round at J7 and went through Bitmingham on the M/A38. It turns out that the M5 was not closed, only the slip road to it.
call the Highways agency Hail number, 08457 504030. complain about it, give times and location of sign set, and they will look into it, if someone has dropped a clanger, they will be bollocked/ retrained/watched ( whatever is required)
The real Biffo:
call the Highways agency Hail number, 08457 504030. complain about it, give times and location of sign set, and they will look into it, if someone has dropped a clanger, they will be bollocked/ retrained/watched ( whatever is required)
Can we watch them being bollocked? put it on the matrix 
Wheel Nut:
The real Biffo:
call the Highways agency Hail number, 08457 504030. complain about it, give times and location of sign set, and they will look into it, if someone has dropped a clanger, they will be bollocked/ retrained/watched ( whatever is required)Can we watch them being bollocked? put it on the matrix
They’re text boards, so unless you want to watch one of those ascii type piccies scroll across the screeen… 