£22m plan to improve motorways

A £22 million scheme to make journeys safer on motorways in Staffordshire has been announced today. The plan will cover parts of the M6, M54 and M6 Toll.

The Highways Agency will be installing new automatic message signs and signals on 13 miles of the M6 from Junction 10a near Essington to Junction 13 at Dunston, on the M54 from the M6 at Junction 10a to Junction 2 at Coven Heath, and on the M6 Toll from T8 near Cheslyn Hay to Junction 11a at Saredon.

The system, known as Midas (Motorway Incident Detection and Automated Signaling) will have sensors embedded in the road surface providing real-time traffic information to a combination of gantry-mounted and verge-mounted message signs.

They will provide road users with journey time information and warnings of congestion ahead, allowing traffic to be re-routed following accidents and reducing secondary accidents.

Mark Worrallo, Highways Agency project sponsor, said it will result in a safer road network with a projected reduction in personal injury accidents.

He said: "The investment in upgrading the existing technology on these stretches of the M6 and M54 will complete the automatic signaling installation in these areas, providing safer journeys and more information for travellers.

"The provision of new signals and Midas on the M6 Toll is to ensure motorists leaving the M6 Toll and joining the M6 at Junction 11a are immediately aware if there is of any slow moving or stationary traffic."