Traffic lights on M6 Motorway LOL!!!

[Softus]

So let me get this right the traffic lights stop traffic joining the motorway, do they wait for a lull in the motorway traffic before turning green and allowing traffic on? otherwise there will still be congestion surely with traffic fighting to get onto the motorway?

Basically yes, but at least one system I know of is more sophisticated than that - it measures the rate of traffic joining the route, and the traffic already on it, and computes the best duration for the 'red' period. In this way it adapts to different degrees of congestion by behaving differently, therefore this type]/b] of control doesn't just move the jam somewhere else.

Plus, since the filtering improves, the aggregate flow rate down the motorway increases, and the net effect on the locale is positive, not negative.

 

[paulbrown]

Softus wrote,

I've said what I needed to, so I'm out of this one. Have your last say - there will be no reply from me.

What happened then? you've come back.

Plus, since the filtering improves, the aggregate flow rate down the motorway increases, and the net effect on the locale is positive, not negative.

How does this work then? Lets take an hypothetical sliproad that is used by 1000 cars an hour. A set of traffic lights suddenly appear which are on stop for 25% of the time. Great, 25% less traffic joining the motorway, in that particular area, eases traffic flowrates on the motorway in that area.

So where do these 250 cars an hour go? they are stuck on the slip and probably tailing back to the adjoining A roads, or moving the problem. like I said they only improve the motorway at the expence of surrounding roads, but the HA are only assessing the motorway in this exercise.

I accept you are a tad slower than most, but surely even you can see this?

All roads are taking more traffic than they were designed for, matters have no doubt been made even worse by the likes of bike/bus lanes and calming schemes etc. No ammount of tinkering is going to resolve the problems. We need more radical steps but all we got was Thatcher making matters worse by disbanding what could have been an integrated public transport network, instead of the shambles we now have.

Any chance of a reply that doesn't use bad language?

 

[johnny_t]

I've seen a system (though not in this country) where they have a sort of pulssing light to let on one car at a time - say 2 seconds go, 2 seconds stop - and it seems to work. Idea being that everything flows onto the motorway better, and therefore reduces the back-up on the slip road too.

 

[empip]

I think we will be using a process called 'Ramp metering', where the lights are controlled by sensors in the slip road that will hold cars for a max 20 seconds or less before allowing them on the motorway.
Apparently the lights will be switched off when sensors detect cars backing up on to local roads.

Allegedly next batch of ten sets of lights to be placed on the M60, M6 and M62 at Greater Manchester in Jan-Feb'ish. Another twenty sets to be placed on motorways in the SE, Midlands & NE during the next couple of years.

 

[Moz]

empip
THANKYOU!!1 AHAAAa ..LOL as my origional post said ..... 'Ramp metering' .. cheers ..

as
ban-all-sheds
as always,... tried to rubbish my threads , yes a type of traffic calm was used on the was used on the M5....

but this NIGHTMARE ROAD SYSTEM is very new as it holds traffic on the slip ways not on bypass an junction leading "too" the slipway ...as Bas was spouting ...

so cars relie on the highways agency to flick the green traffic light switch an at the M6/M61 turnoffs where there are placed it looks horrendous, ....YIKEs

an we have all seen these over head "Accident Ahead 3OMPH " boards ...for 30 mins after the event ..lol

 

[empip]

According to the Highways Agency, there have been successful trials on the M3 and M27 near Southampton and M6 N of Birmingham.

This was interesting :-

.....The Agency anticipated being able to keep traffic moving on those parts of a carriageway not deemed to be the scene of a crime or in the rescue area, and to reduce the time taken to investigate an incident which currently averages around five-and-a-half hours. Authorities in the United States and Canada completed their investigations in a much shorter time, partly because they had a different attitude to incidents but also because they used technology differently. The Agency would be working with the police to introduce improved technology in England, and to develop guidelines for investigating incidents and accidents.[7]....

About time too !! Taking far too long to clear routes.... I wonder what the real benefits have been? If any.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

ban-all-sheds
as always,... tried to rubbish my threads , yes a type of traffic calm was used on the was used on the M5....

You're getting a bit paranoid - I don't "always" try to rubbish your threads. My comment was about the news report, made because I've been aware of at least one set of lights on a motorway on-ramp, or entrance slip, whatever you want to call it, for several years, on, as I said, either the M6 or M5.

I only highlight rubbish from you when you post rubbish, which up to now you hadn't done in this topic.

but this NIGHTMARE ROAD SYSTEM is very new as it holds traffic on the slip ways not on bypass an junction leading "too" the slipway ...as Bas was spouting ...

Please go back and read my posts again, and find one where I claimed that the lights were anywhere other than on the entrance slip. If you can't then consider whether you feel that I often rubbish your posts because you often fail to pay attention, and post rubbish...

 

[Moz]

ban-all-sheds
I accept your apology ...

 

[andy]

in quite a few areas is not the slip road causin the problem: its on the motorway. all there doin is backin traffic onto other roads. A1 next to team valley. has a 'recommended' speed of 40 for a corner (its not a sharp corner, i can easily take it at 80MPH). but many drivers hit the anchors when they see this. then the next car is forced to slow down, and eventually you have a few miles of traffic. remove the signs and keep the traffic goin constantly and traffic will speed up a little (altho i usually avoid the A1 best part of the way. you can get form A to B in less than 1/2 the time usin all the side streets

another example of pointless road works. 2 busy A roads (pretty much side by side). both have houses, but most are set back from the road and have car parks at the rear. they have now added chicanes to 1 road, so traffic problems start and there is more traffic there. aswell as the fact that some people are now using the other road which is increasing traffic on that

Look around at all road works done. how much of it is to help the traffic? none. how much to increase congestion? pretty much all. more congestion=more fuel burnt=more money in taxes to the government. pity this didnt make news headlines all over. id imagine something would soon change

few weeks ago at a busy cross road with lights there was some roadworks bein done by local council. they were workin on the path on other side of barrier, yet they had to put traffic lights up so they could close 1 lane on 1 road. why was the lane closed? for the ****in generator for the lights.

another roundabout, 5 roads on. 4 roads on are 2 lanes. roundabout is now reduced to 1 lane, along with all roads joining it. big traffic problems. why? to the people doin the work ON the roundabout can park their vans next to it. rather than walk an entires 50 metre to a parkin space.

/rant