Motorway air quality tech gains funding

Technology which could improve air quality in local communities by helping the way drivers leave motorways was named today as one of the successful entries in a multi-million-pound competition.

Run by Highways England and Innovate UK, the competitions, worth up to £20 million, aims to encourage the country’s most creative minds to come up with innovative ideas to change the way the country’s motorways and major A roads are designed, managed and used.

One project to receive funding will see technology inform drivers of the time remaining before traffic lights change to green at junctions and suggest an appropriate speed. This will reduce the need for vehicles to stop on exit slip roads, which in turn could improve air quality by reducing the stop-starting of vehicles.

Mike Wilson, Highways England’s executive director for Safety, Engineering and Standards, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer this funding to support ideas which have the potential to improve the environment around our roads, for people’s journeys and local communities. We have been seeking innovative ideas which could save lives, reduce congestion or improve air quality, and the competitions have proved a great success with so many great ideas submitted and something we will consider repeating in the future.”

A full list of successful bids can be seen here.