Large electronic signs that can display information to motorists on traffic volume, weather conditions and estimated journey times are to begin operating on the M1 motorway in a pilot project that may be rolled out across the State's motorway network.
The signs will initially only provide automatically generated information on how long it will take to reach certain destinations along the road, but in time it may be used to warn motorists of major incidents, including road closures, traffic jams or adverse weather conditions.
At the recent inquest into the death of Kate Moyles (24), who died on the M7 in dense fog last March, the jury recommended that similar overhead signs be installed on all major roads to warn of such incidents. Ms Moyles died when her car crashed into the back of a fire engine that was at the scene of an earlier accident.
The signs, which have been erected at various locations on the M1 between Dublin's Port Tunnel and the Border in Co Louth, have been undergoing technical testing in recent weeks, but a trial providing real-time information to motorists is set to start at the end of November or the beginning of December, an National Rroads Authority (NRA) spokesman told The Irish Times this week.
A team of "advanced users" who already use the road regularly is being recruited from the ranks of the NRA and local authorities.
During the open-ended trial, they will monitor the information displayed on the signs, but the information will be available to all drivers who use the State's busiest road in the run-up to one of the worst times of the year for traffic congestion.
The signs automatically track how many vehicles are using the road and what speed they are travelling at.
They use this information to calculate estimated journey times between key points on the motorway and display this information to motorists using the road via the overhead signs.
The four key points on the route are Dundalk, Drogheda, Dublin Airport and the Port Tunnel.
The system works using licence-plate-recognition cameras mounted on the side of the electronic signs or on roadside polls.
They can track vehicles as they pass and calculate journey times, but exclude vehicles that have exceeded the speed limit or which have stopped along the way.
The system will not be used for law enforcement and the number-plate information is discarded after it is used, according to the NRA.
The spokesman said there are plans to also make the traffic information available via SMS on mobile phones and on a website. However, he said there were no plans to incorporate any automatic weather detection tools into the electronic information system.
He said there was a fear that technology wasn't advanced enough to accurately detect certain weather conditions, especially fog.
"There are many critical factors pertaining to informing people on current weather conditions within a road network," he said. "Accuracy in detecting fog. Consistency in the location of fog. By its nature fog appears in varied conditions at varied location. "Currently, the best solution is for drivers to remain aware of their driving environment and behave according to the safest driving practice within those conditions," he said.
He added that the NRA was "making arrangements" to appoint a network operator for the M1. This operator will make sure critical information is displayed on the signs during extreme situations such the heavy fog that caused the M7 pile-up in March.
The signs were installed on the road over a year ago at a cost of €8 million and it is understood the ongoing cost of maintaining the project will rise exponentially.
There are 11 signs on the road in total, including three northbound and eight southbound between the Port Tunnel and Dundalk.
