Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

M1 Junctions 7 - 10 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane

 

 

 

Presentation for PCM International Scanning Tour

15th June 2006

Format of talk

- History of scheme to date

- Project organisation

- Proposed scheme features

- Problem areas• Empty lane fears• Eligible vehicles• Variable signing issues• Layout issues• Enforcement• Operational issues

Scheme location plan

• Already proposing to widen M1 from dual 3 lane to dual 4 lane standard

• 160,000 vpd now

• Rising to over 200,000 vpd by 2023

• M1 is key part of motorway network

• Introduction of HOV lane would be a very late scheme change

• Only 3 HOV schemes on local roads in UK

Background

• July 04 Secretary of State requests HOV feasibility study from Highways Agency (HA)

• Nov 04 Initial HOV Feasibility Study report• Dec 04 M1 HOV pilot announced by Secretary of

State • Mar 05 M1 motorway widening contract awarded• Mar 06 Start of works on M1 widening J6A to 10

Scheme history

• Jul 05 Scheme Brief for HOV lane issued by Dept for Transport (for a low-tech solution)

• Summer 05 to May 06 HOV “Before Monitoring” traffic surveys

• May 06 Draft Preliminary Designs and VISSIM micro-simulation completed (revisions ongoing)

Scheme history

• Jun 06 Ministerial Submission summarising design proposals

• Jul 06(?) Secretary of State approval to complete HOV design and start construction

• Jan 08 (earliest) to Dec 08 (latest) Staged opening of M1 HOV Lane??

Future programme

Project organisation

5 key strands

• Before & after monitoring

• Operational strategy

• Enforcement strategy

• Marketing & publicity

• Scheme design and safety case

• Layout and Operation• Length: Approx. 11km (7 miles) between J7 and J10• Lane 4 – Solid white line separation and 2+ lane

marking• Non-segregated - Access and Egress at any point• Overhead gantry signing – variable signs (rotational

prisms?)• 24/7 operation of lanes

• Eligible Vehicles• Eligible: 2+cars, motorcycles, (and buses ? )• Excluded: HGVs, Single Occupancy Taxis, Towing

Vehicles

Design Features

Traffic Flow Summary, 2006

• 2+ represents only a small proportion of all vehicles in the AM and PM peak periods (typically 8% to 15% of all traffic).

• 2+ vehicle demand is close to the 500 vehicle minimum HOV lane threshold (476 vehicles J10-J9) in 2006.

• Higher number of 2+ vehicles in the Inter Peak and especially at weekends.

• HGVs represent between 14% and 29% of all traffic on weekdays.

Current Traffic Flows

Microsimulation Traffic Forecasts, 2008 & 2023

Forecast HOV Usage (2+ vehicles choosing to use the 2+lane)

2008 AM Peak: 300-660 vehs

2008 PM Peak: 250-630 vehs

Represents 60% of all eligible vehicles at best, but could be as low as 25%)

By 2023: 480-920 vehs (Represents 55%-70% of all eligible traffic)

Non-eligible vehicles and HOVs choosing not to use can be accommodated in adjacent 3-lanes (max. V/C ratio 0.91).

Forecast HOV usage

No HGVsNo coaches

For vehicles with 2 or more persons &

2+2+ lane 1 m ahead²¹

No HGVsNo coaches

For vehicles with 2 or more persons &

2+2+ lane 1 m ahead²¹

No HGVsNo coaches No HGVsNo HGVsNo coachesNo coaches

For vehicles with 2 or more persons &For vehicles with 2 or more persons &

2+2+ lane 1 m ahead²¹2+2+ lane 1 m ahead²¹

Eligible vehicles

2+2+ lane2+2+ lane

Starts

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹

Starts

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹1m ahead²¹²¹

Ends

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹

Ends

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹1m ahead²¹²¹

Ends

2+2+ lane

Ends

2+2+ lane

Signing

Rotational Prisms Signing

2+ Lane Arrangement

First advance sign for (Lane 4) 2+ lane

Northbound >>

<< Southbound

Starts

2+2+ lane

1m aheadStarts

2+2+ lane

1m ahead

Sta

rts

2+2+la

ne

1m

ah

ea

dS

tarts

2+2+la

ne

1m

ah

ea

d

End

s

2+2+la

ne

End

s

2+2+la

ne

2+ Lane Arrangement

Second advance sign with countdown

Northbound >>

Starts

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹

Starts

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹1m ahead²¹²¹

<< Southbound

2+ lane 2+ lane

Starts

2+2+lane

1m ahead

² ¹

Starts

2+2+lane

1m ahead

² ¹ 1m ahead

² ¹² ¹

End

s

2+2+la

ne

1m a

head

²¹

End

s

2+2+la

ne

1m a

head

²¹1m

ahe

ad²¹ ²¹

2+ Lane Arrangement

Start of 2+ lane

Northbound >>

2+2+ lane2+2+ lane

2+2+lane

2+2+lane

<< Southbound

2+ lane 2+ lane

2+lane

2+2+la

ne2+2+

lane

2+ Lane Arrangement

Advance sign for End of 2+ lane

Northbound >>

2+lane

Ends

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹

Ends

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹1m ahead²¹²¹

Ends

2+2+lane

1m ahead

² ¹

Ends

2+2+lane

1m ahead

² ¹ 1m ahead

² ¹² ¹

Sta

rts

2+2+la

ne

1m a

head

²¹

Sta

rts

2+2+la

ne

1m a

head

²¹1m

ahe

ad²¹ ²¹

<< Southbound

2+ Lane Arrangement

End of 2+ lane

Northbound >>

<< Southbound

Ends

2+2+ lane

Ends

2+2+ lane

Ends

2+2+lane

Ends

2+2+lane

Sta

rts

2+2+la

ne

1m

ah

ea

dS

tart

s

2+2+la

ne

1m

ah

ea

d

2+ Lane Arrangement

Lane 4 merges with Lane 3.

Lanes 1 and 2 continue ahead.

Northbound >>

<< Southbound

Enforcement

A police function, but:-• Not a high priority issue• Resource intensive• Safety concerns over stopping offenders

on high speed roads• Payment for police time is contentious

Enforcement

Automatic enforcement• Camera technology not proven

Penalties• Current regulations do not suit HOV• New legislation needed to change level of

fines (£30/£60)• Are penalty points appropriate for non

safety related offence

Compliance

Likely solution for M1 trial:-• Occasional Police campaigns• Some Police patrols• Regular Traffic Officer patrols• Observation platforms• High visibility camera trial• Warning letters

2+2+ lane2+2+ lane

Scenario 1: Lane 1 closed, 2+ lane opened to all traffic

Operational Issues

5050 50 50

AccidentSlow down

2+ lane sign alerts of end of designation

Ends

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹

Ends

2+2+ lane

1m ahead²¹1m ahead²¹²¹

Scenario 1: Lane 1 closed, 2+ lane opened to all traffic

Operational Issues

5050 50

AccidentSlow down

Lane 1 traffic instructed to change lanes. 2+ lane ends.

Ends

2+2+ lane

Ends

2+2+ lane

Scenario 1: Lane 1 closed 2+ lane opened to all traffic

Operational Issues

4040 40

AccidentSlow down

Lane 1 Closed. 2+ lane open to all traffic.

Scenario 1: Lane 1 closed 2+ lane opened to all traffic

Operational Issues

2+2+ lane2+2+ lane

6050 50 50

Congestion

Operational Issues

Issue 1: Should variable speed limits be applied?

2+2+ lane2+2+ lane

Operational Issues

Issue 2: Should slow moving HGVs (and Buses) be banned from lane 3?

Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Any questions??