Bath-based IPL has announced that the Highways Agency have extended a £500k two-year contract with them to support a number of mission-critical applications.
The contract will enable the Highways Agency (HA) to manage the display information on roadside signalling devices in order to help increase road capacity, improve safety and reduce congestion.
IPL has been working with the UK’s strategic roads operator for over two decades, developing and delivering a set of tools to support the setup of the information on gantry signals and message signs required for schemes such as Smart Motorways.
The tools play a key part in the rollout of all major road schemes, including Smart Motorways.
The enhancements IPL has made have drastically sped up the process of configuring and testing the information on each piece of equipment, notably by providing intuitive graphical user interfaces and streamlining key tasks such as data input.
The tools are also used to help the Highways Agency ensure the right information will be displayed on roadside signs and overhead signals in a range of situations, before new equipment is rolled out.
The tools have significantly cut down the testing time for new roadside equipment, with the Highways Agency now able to check what information will appear on a new asset much more easily.
This has cut down the time it takes the Agency to deliver major road projects, while helping make the roads safer and keeping the traffic moving.
Simon Catley, Services Director at IPL, said: “We’re delighted that the Highways Agency has extended our contract. Over the years, we’ve worked closely with them and their partner community, and have played an important part in delivering safer, more reliable journeys on the UK’s roads.
“We’re currently working on some really exciting enhancements that will make a real difference to those operating the road network and in turn, the travelling public.”
