Benefits of Smarter Motorways

Everyone will benefit from the integrated intelligent transport system technologies: motorway drivers, businesses and transport industry; local communities and the environment. 

Motorway drivers

Motorway drivers will benefit from a safer, greener, reliable journey. The improvements will:

• keep traffic flowing and manage congestion (smoother journey)
• provide a more reliable and less stressful journey (smarter journey)
• reduce the risk of road accidents (safer journey)
• reduce emissions and vehicle wear-and-tear through less stop-start (greener journey).

Emergency services

The following benefits will apply to emergency services:

• quicker access to accident sites by using lane control
• reduced speed limits provide safer conditions at traffic accident sites, particularly for those helping at the scene
• more flowing traffic and less stop-start driving help reduce rear-end crashes or secondary accidents.

Communities

Public communities will also benefit from:

• increased motorway safety
• more reliable travel times and effective peak hour traffic on existing motorways
• reduced peak hour traffic times are reduced
• optimised performance on existing motorways.  

Environment

There are also environmental benefits to the new technologies, including:

• less stop-start driving reduces fuel consumption which reduces emissions.

For more information on environmentally-supportive transport initiatives, visit the Office of Climate Change website.