Following the publication of the EMCC guidance in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB), Dennis Gregg, Chevron TM Regional Managing Director reflects on the journey to this point and what this means for the industry.
“The publication of the EMCC guidance at the beginning of February is a seminal moment for the traffic management industry. It allows all traffic management providers across the UK to deliver this new way of working, bringing improved safety, operational efficiencies, carbon reductions and better journey experience for road users. It is a win-win for everyone involved in or affected by road works on our carriageways.”
The EMCC technique allows traffic management contractors to deploy an agile vehicle displaying an authorised sign to create a traffic-free environment for up to a maximum of nine minutes to perform operations including the installation, maintenance, switching, or removal of traffic management systems. The EMCC vehicle is equipped with a digital incursion warning system to alert workers of errant vehicles entering the traffic free zone. Chevron TM has been leading the development of the EMCC technique of a number of years.
“EMCC is a fantastic example of what industry collaboration can achieve,” explains Dennis. “We worked with Costain, HRS and of course National Highways for over three years, testing, trialling, refining and retesting this new way of working. To get it to a stage where it is now open to all TM providers is a proud moment for Chevron TM but more importantly, it is hugely significant for the data shows.
“For example, Costain has recorded an average closure install time of 21.00 hours when using EMCC. It sat at 22.45 hours without EMCC. This equates to one hour 45 minutes additional works time for contractors which is a fantastic improvement. We are also seeing a substantial reduction in carbon emissions with data showing that EMCC supported programmes are 25% less carbon intensive.
“It is really important to stress that while we are recording excellent programme efficiencies and carbon reductions, our overall priority has always been on the safety of road workers and road users. The digital technology in the EMCC vehicles, provided by HRS is second to none and delivers a new level of safety. EMCC has been rolled out over 8600 times with an incursion rate of just 0.2%, all of which were mitigated by the incursion safety and proximity warning system.
Of course, the EMCC journey doesn’t end here. We want to see EMCC rolled out across our network and are happy to offer our support and our experience to the wider industry to make this happen.”
For more information, email emcc@chevrontm.com or visit our website.
