BOROUGH OF POOLE
TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP – THURSDAY 31 JULY 2008
REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGNS FOR POOLE BRIDGE
1.Matter for Consideration
1.1The operation of the existing Variable Message Signs (VMS) for Poole Bridge.
1.2Proposed new VMS signs at Upton and Fleetsbridge.
1.3New lifting times established by the Poole Harbour Bridges Operating Board.
2.Recommendations
It is recommended that approval be given to:
2.1The VMS messages referring to LIFTING BRIDGE and giving the times of the next lift, as described in items 3.4 and 3.5.
2.2Two further VMS signs as described in item 4.1
and
2.3That the new bridge opening times, as shown in Appendix C, be noted.
3.VMS Messages
3.1There are currently 5 No. VMS signs located at:
- New Orchard, approaching West Street
- Towngate Bridge westbound, off George Roundabout
- Holes Bay Road southbound, leaving Upton By-Pass
- Broadstone Way southbound, approaching Holes Bay Road
- Blandford Road southbound, by Lake Road
3.2These signs are used to provide information relating to the status of Poole Bridge i.e. whether it is open or closed to traffic. The ‘closed’ messages are displayed automatically as part of the operation of the lifting sequence, which is activated manually by the operators at the Civic Centre Control Room.
3.3Requests have been received in respect of two issues relating to these messages:
3.4Bridge Description
3.4.1Comments have been received in respect of visitors unfamiliar with the area who on seeing a message ‘POOLE BRIDGE CLOSED’ are not aware that this relates to a Lifting Bridge and therefore will re-open shortly.
3.4.2It is therefore proposed that all of the messages would be more meaningful to refer to ‘LIFTING BRIDGE’ rather than ‘POOLE BRIDGE’., eg ‘LIFTING BRIDGE CLOSED’
3.5Times of scheduled Lifts
3.5.1Requests have been received for these signs to provide more useful information for drivers warning of an imminent closure. The limitations are that this would have to be an automated process as the operators are committed to a wide range of services and can only guarantee attention to activating the bridge lifting mechanism during the actual closure process.
3.5.2It is considered that a message displayed on all of the VMS signs 30 minutes before a scheduled lift time stating the time of the next lift, e.g. LIFTING BRIDGE NEXT CLOSED TO TRAFFIC 14:30 hrs, would be beneficial to road users. At all other times the VMS signs would be used as they are at present. It is anticipated that this could be achieved in an automated way with no additional input required by the operators.
3.6In addition to providing information on scheduled lifts, the VMS signs are also used to provide other information for the bridge, namely:
(a)Planned works
(b)Unplanned incidents
together with information for the wider area of the Town Centre. These road safety and other messages are automatically overridden by the Poole Bridge Closed To Traffic message.
A list of pre-set messages commonly used is shown as Appendix A. Approval for the use of these messages is required from the Department for Transport and this is currently being sought.
3.7There is often an expectation from the travelling public that the messaging should be instantly responsive to any incident, particularly on Poole Bridge. However, this would require dedicated operational staff with CCTV coverage and direct access to police who are generally in control of any particular incident, which is currently not available. The existing set up nevertheless still provides a very effective service in providing messages but simply cannot be instantly responsive.
4.New VMS Signs
4.1While the five existing VMS signs are very useful on the main approaches to the bridge, there would also be a further benefit with additional signs located further out from the bridge. These would provide information to drivers on longer distance journeys enabling additional route choices to be made. In this respect signs are proposed for:
(a)A3049 Dorset Way, westbound approaching Holes Bay North roundabout.
(b)A350 Blandford Road North, southbound from the roundabout over the Upton By-pass. (This placement would be subject to the approval of Dorset County Council as the Highway Authority at that specific location).
4.2The locations for the additional sites being proposed are shown as
Appendix B
4.3The cost of the two signs would be approximately £40,000 in total which is currently allocated within the Transportation Capital Programme.
4.4It is anticipated that there will be a further expansion of VMS across the conurbation over the medium to long term. The strategy for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), seen as key to delivering our ability to manage the road network in line with the new requirements of the Traffic Management Act, is currently being produced by Mouchel in a joint report for all three South East Dorset authorities.
4.5New lifting times were proposed by the Poole Harbour Bridges Operating Board, shown as Appendix C , and these have recently been approved by the Portfolio Holder.
Julian McLaughlin
Head of Transportation Services
Appendix A-Standard Messages for VMS Signs
Appendix B-Locations of 2 No. New VMS Signs
Appendix C-New Bridge Lifting Times
Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact:
Steve Tite (01202) 262020
TAG310708T3J
APPENDIX A
TOWN CENTRE VMS – Manual Messages (Set on System)
(BASED ON 5 ROWS x MAXIMUM 12 CHARACTERS DISPLAY).
NOTE: BOXES SHADED YELLOW INDICATES AMBER WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING
MESSAGE No.
/ LEGEND / NOTES1 / POOLE BRIDGE
OPEN TO
TRAFFIC / *This is also an Automatic Message
(Normally displayed automatically via Message No. 13)
2 / POOLE BRIDGE
CLOSED
TO TRAFFIC / *This is also an Automatic Message
3 / NO REPORTED
INCIDENTS
4 / POOLE BRIDGE
CLOSED FOR
REPAIRS
FOLLOW
DIVERSIONS / *This message is only appropriate if
works are programmed and
diversionary signing is in place
5 / INCIDENT
POOLE BRIDGE
CLOSED TO
TRAFFIC
6 / INCIDENT IN
TOWN CENTRE
EXPECT
DELAYS
MESSAGE No.
/ LEGEND / NOTES7 / ACCIDENT
AHEAD
DELAYS
LIKELY
SLOW DOWN
8 / LANE CLOSED
AHEAD
SLOW DOWN
9 / ROAD AHEAD
CLOSED
USE
ALTERNATIVE
ROUTE
10 / DELAYS AHEAD
DUE TO
INCIDENT
11 / ROADWORKS
AHEAD
SLOW DOWN
12 / DEBRIS
ON ROAD
AHEAD
TAKE CARE
13 / POOLE BRIDGE
OPEN TO
TRAFFIC / *This is an Automatic Message which is frequently substituted with a Road Safety Campaign message
MESSAGE No.
/ LEGEND / NOTES14 / FLOODING
POOLE BRIDGE
CLOSED TO
TRAFFIC
15 / INCIDENT ON
POOLE QUAY
EXPECT
DELAYS
APPENDIX C
POOLE BRIDGE LIFTING TIMES
05:30
06:30
07:30
08:30
10:30
12:30
14:30
16:30
17:30 *
18:30
19:30
21:30
23:45
* This lift applies only on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays
Unscheduled lifts will be provided to registered commercial vessels on demand
but only outside of the following times: 05:00 – 08:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 (these
restrictions do not apply for vessels over 40m long or as directed by the
Harbour Master).
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