The Roads Minister Guy Opperman has announced plans to make all Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) digital.
The measures such as temporary speed limits or road closures have, until now, not automatically updated on digital systems, meaning they are sometimes missing from satnav systems.
The Government will now mandate that valuable data, such as the location of parking spaces, is available for satnavs and that drivers have the most accurate and up-to-date information to get from A to B safely, easily and with the peace of mind.
Mr Opperman said: “This Government is on the side of drivers, which is why we’re making travelling by road much easier. Everyone knows the frustrations of being sent down a closed road by your sat-nav, so by going digital with our traffic information, we’re making sure that drivers have the very latest travel information to rely on.
“This is part of our first package of measures from our Plan for Drivers to be set out tomorrow, coming after our record £8.3 billion investment to resurface local roads – the biggest ever increase in funding for local road improvements.”
Regulations will require traffic authorities to send their TROs to a new digital publication platform. The data will then be freely available online for anyone to use.
The government adds that digitising TROs will also be crucial for ensuring autonomous vehicles can rely on accurate and up-to-date information so that they can operate safely once they start driving on British roads. A clause that delivers this commitment is included in the Automated Vehicles Bill, currently in Parliament.
(Picture – Highways News)
