The company is installing 170 LED road studs as part of a £3M project to improve journeys and safety at Switch Island on Merseyside, where the M57, M58 and three A roads meet.

 

The junction is one of the busiest on the strategic road network and is used by over 90,000 vehicles a day. It saw 49 collisions during the past two years.

 

The road studs illuminate when traffic lights turn green so drivers can clearly see which lane to follow. They are said to have been proven to help stop drivers drifting between lanes, reducing the risk of collisions.

 

Introduction of the technology to Switch Island comes after a similar system of intelligent road studs was installed at Scotland’s A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout two years ago, earning those responsible for the scheme the CIHT John Smart Road Safety Award in 2016.

 

Highways England project manager Phil Tyrrell said: “The innovative light up road studs along with the other improvements we’re introducing will make it much easier to navigate the junction, benefitting the tens of thousands of drivers who travel through it every day.”

 

Construction work on the Switch Island scheme is due to start next week and will take around a year to complete. Other improvements include increasing the height of traffic signals to make them more visible, changes to the road layout and lane markings, and installation of new barriers, coloured high friction surfaces and better signs.

 

♦ Government is consulting on proposals to allow drivers to report road accidents online for the first time. The move is intended to lessen the burden on motorists who are obliged to report collisions in person to a police station within 24 hours. It will also free up police resources.

 

The measure is currently being consulted on and, if supported, police forces in England, Scotland and Wales will be able to adopt online reporting.