New motorway lighting kit could cut delays
New high-tech equipment alerting road workers to faults with motorway lighting should help cut lane closures and hold-ups caused by frequent inspections, experts have said.
Routine checks on lights on motorways and A-roads in the region are time consuming and often require lane closures – to the frustration of motorists.
However, a trial of a new cable network monitor which can be installed in each supply point and flag up faults straight away means the amount of inspections – and traffic management – needed could be dramatically reduced.
The GridKey system detects if a power supply cable has failed or it is not operating correctly. The system will alert a data centre so the issue can be assessed and either monitored or an electrical team dispatched to carry out repairs if necessary.
A trial is under way on the Highways England network in the Midlands and will run for 12 months.
Highways England supplier relationships manager Lisa Maric, who is leading the project, said: “This continuous monitoring will bring large operational cost savings by reducing the need for frequent testing and inspections which could lead to fewer lane closures affecting drivers’ journeys.
“We will be able to identify faults more quickly and resolve the issue straight away or continuously monitor the situation.
“It will also improve safety by minimising the need to have our workforce out on the road – safety is always our number one priority.”
The trial, in conjunction with construction firm Kier, will see some 60 GridKey units trialled in phase one and a further 400 units in Phase two tested on both built-up and rural networks and monitoring cables of different types, length and age across the Midlands.
This will build up a bank of data to give a better understanding of the electrical loads and stresses on the street lighting power network.
Kier electrical and compliance manager Mick Leech said: “This project will reduce the amount of time that operations are required on the highway and the need to work at height and increases road space availability.
“The outcomes from the data collected will allow for a strategic approach to end of life replacement of the power cable infrastructure in a planned manner thus reducing interruptions on the network.”
