ROAD SIGN PLAN SPARKS CLASSIC SAFETY FEARS
Speed limits will be sent straight to drivers’ dashboards – but FBHVC warns that allowances must be made for classic owners
Classic car experts have warned that older cars could be caught out by in-car signalling being trialled on one of Britain’s motorways later this year.
The scheme will see 5G mobile phone technology used to beam traffic information and speed limits to drivers’ dashboards, but organisations including the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs have warned that classic cars without the latest technology must not be left out of any longer-term plans to phase out road-based signals.
Steve Gooding, spokesperson for the RAC Foundation, said: ‘ We’re a long way from having technology in every vehicle that replaces the reassurance we get from having a permanent sign.’
Classic experts have warned that older vehicles won’t be able to use sophisticated in-car signalling set to be trialled on one of the nation’s busiest motorways.
Highways England is proposing testing a 5G-based system to beam updates about speed limits, traffic and weather conditions directly to drivers’ dashboards as part of a test on the M2 and A2 later this year, which will help inform the Government about whether the technology could be used to replace overhead gantry signs in years to come.
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) said that while it isn’t aware of any long-term plans to replace the current variable speed and traffic information UK-wide, it will be watching the Kent trial with interest and campaigning on behalf of classic owners if any future proposals are put forward by the Government.
Geoff Lancaster, FBHVC communications director, said: ‘ We don’t disagree with the idea behind the in-car signalling, but there is a huge proportion of road users, and not just historic vehicle owners, who would still need the information being delivered and whose vehicles simply don’t have the capacity to support the technology needed to make it work. ‘There is no way that you can replace this information with incar signalling, as there are implications for drivers who need to be able to have up-to-date information for legal and safety reasons – we wouldn’t want to see a classic car owner breaking a speed limit or heading into the back of busy traffic because they aren’t able to keep up to date with the variable information. We’re not aware of any Government proposals or consultations at the moment but it could be this is used to inform one in future.’
It follows concerns already raised by classic clubs earlier this year about the safety of classics being used on the existing ‘smart’ stretches of motorway across the UK, due to the lane traditionally used as the hard shoulder being used a lane in itself to improve traffic flow. These existing stretches use overhead gantry signs to relay traffic information and variable speed limits, which can be seen by all road users.
CCW reader and classic owner Grahame King said that he worries that classic owners could be forced to adapt 5G technology if in-car signalling is introduced.
‘The idea being that by the time it would go live modern cars would be able to receive these signals and display them to the drivers. This is all very well but what about classic car drivers and motorcyclists?
‘It occurs to me that if this system came into use, it would mean classic cars drivers would either have to have modern escort vehicles or a compulsory passenger with a 5G receiver. Bikers would have to wear fighter pilot-style helmets.’
The RAC Foundation has also warned of the risks involved from abandoning road-based signalling altogether, particularly highlighting possible situations where when the technology could suffer from failure.
Steve Gooding, spokesperson, said: ‘ While having still better, faster real-time journey information displayed in-vehicle is a good thing, we’re a long way from having technology in every vehicle that completely replaces the reassurance we get from having a permanent sign.’