Pilot- M1 Travel Time Service - Launch
On Friday, January 11, 2008, the National Roads Authority (NRA) will launch an EU funded pilot programme that will display actual travel times along the M1 Dublin to Border-Belfast corridor. This is part of a joint project between the NRA and the Northern Ireland Roads Service.
Individual Variable Message Signs (VMS) will inform drivers of the travel times from the location of the particular sign displaying the information to the next two primary destinations covered by the system.
Travel time information will relate to four primary locations along the M1:
| Dublin Port Tunnel | Junction 1 |
| Dublin Airport | Junction 2 |
| Drogheda | Junction 9 (Northbound) / Junction 10 (Southbound) |
| Dundalk | Junction 16 |
The sign locations are as follows:
| Sign | Location of Sign on M1 |
| 1 | North of Dundalk (Southbound) |
| 2 | South of Drumleck (Southbound) |
| 3 | North of Drogheda (Southbound) |
| 4 | North of Balbriggan (Northbound) |
| 5 | North of Skerries/Lusk (Southbound) |
| 6 | North of Dublin Airport (Northbound) |
Travel times are calculated in real-time using roadside mounted automatic number plate recognition cameras. Average travel times (discounting unusually slow or fast vehicles) are calculated and displayed every five minutes.
In the future the VMS system will allow for the notification of incidents, events, closures and severe weather conditions. It is also planned that this information will be made available through SMS (text messages) and email.
Fred Barry CEO, NRA said, "We are looking forward to the feedback from the public on this pilot program."
The system will be complemented by the NRA's Traffic Information Site www.nratraffic.ie providing users with those travel times plus additional information online to allow for pre-trip planning.
For further information please contact Sean O' Neill - Head of Communications on (01) 6602511, soneill@nra.ie