FACT SHEET
Based on template – version 26/08/2010
Maximum length: 2 A4
Name
Incident Management
Service Group
Flow Control
Definition
Traffic Incident Management is the
implementation of appropriate responsive
actions to a traffic incident and handling of
the traffic until normal traffic conditions
have been restored. It proceeds through a
cycle of several phases (which may in
practice overlap to some extent).
Description
Incident Management is conducted as a coordinated response of several specialist services to detect an
incident, secure the scene rapidly to ensure safety of persons involved, responders and other travellers,
assess and aid casualties, manage traffic approaching and passing the scene, remove crashed vehicles and
debris, investigate causes, provide information to travellers, and restore normal traffic flow as quickly as
possible. It may involve specialist services: Traffic Management Centres, police with appropriate training,
traffic officers (specialised staff with limited legal powers to direct traffic), fire and ambulance, incident
support units recovery contractors and measures like: incident screens, controlling speed limits, signing and
information, incident recording systems, interoperable communications.
Objectives
The objectives of incident management are to maximise safety and minimise congestion impacts. A subobjective is to minimise response times and create framework of cooperation between responders.
Criteria for deployment (In what situation should it be deployed?)
Where large traffic flows mean high exposure to congestion and secondary safety impacts and associated
social costs; in safety-critical sites such as tunnels; in other critical sections of the network where disruption
can have severe consequences such as routes confined by geography, major intersections, and access
routes to ports and airports.
Supporting Systems
Speed Control provides a quick way of protecting incident scenes. Signing associated with Dynamic Lane
Management and Dynamic use of Hard Shoulder Running controls provide richer possibilities for traffic
management at the scene. Traffic Officer Services, Incident Support Units and local recovery Contracts may
be deployed. Multi-responder post-incident debriefings and exercises can be used to develop and improve
response and cooperation skills, and command and control systems.
Effectiveness (Proven Benefits)
Reduced delays and improved journey time reliability, increased safety of responders and public, reduced
risk of secondary accidents, freeing of police for non-traffic duties; better incident logging and statistics
collection leading via intelligence to improved understanding and procedures. Rijkswaterstaat has assessed
a 30% reduction in incident duration since 1995, and anticipates a further 25% reduction by 2015, noting that
incidents are responsible for 10-25% of all congestion (see graphs below).
Address:
CEDR
Tel: +33 (0)1 40 81 36 87
La Grande Arche Nord 5è
Fax: +33 (0)1 40 81 99 16
92055 Paris - La Défense
France
Email: [email protected] Internet: www.cedr.eu
1. Cat 1, breakdowns with cars, the standard for this is handled within 30 minutes;
2. Cat 2, truck breakdowns and accidents involving cars without injury, the standard for this is
handled within 60 minutes;
3. Cat 3 accidents involving trucks and all accidents or injuries, the standard for this is handled
within 90 minutes.
Costs (Investment & Maintenance)
Permanent staffing of incident management departments in National Road Administrations or franchises;
training of responders; setting up, equipping and staffing of a Traffic Officer Service and Incident Support
Units where appropriate; multi-responder meetings and exercises; specialised equipment such as incident
screens; interoperable communication system. Any speed and lane control and information systems used
will most likely be in place already. Total annual costs in the Netherlands are €30M.
Benefit/Cost Ratio (return on investment)
Rijkswaterstaat assesses BCR of >4 from saving €120-130M annually at cost of €30M (@ €16/person-h).
Network impact
High
It is increasingly recognised that incidents on our highway networks need to be managed in a quick, safe and
professional way. Every disturbance on our busy highway networks can lead to significant queuing, loss of
many vehicle-hours in delay, and consequent high social costs. Even small disturbances can escalate when
traffic is near to capacity, and all disturbances can lead to reduced traffic safety. Incident management can
help to increase network reliability and stability.
Level of enforcement needed
Moderate
Risks
Institutional barriers to cooperation and optimal allocation of responsibilities between Responders;
inappropriate deployment resulting in longer response time or over-provision; distraction from incident
prevention; difficulty quantifying benefits because the alternatives do not occur, so cannot be compared.
Incident Management also differs from other Traffic Management in the number of actors involved, who have
different basic responsibilities, and there is great variation between states in the way responsibility is
assigned – the figure below shows where lead responsibility lies in different countries for different situations.
Address:
CEDR
Tel: +33 (0)1 40 81 36 87
La Grande Arche Nord 5è
Fax: +33 (0)1 40 81 99 16
92055 Paris - La Défense
France
Email: [email protected] Internet: www.cedr.eu
Interaction with other TM measures
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Speed Control
Dynamic Lane Management
Hard Shoulder Running
Incident Warning
Re-routing
Travel Time Information (by informally encourage diversion and reducing secondary impacts)
Alternative measures
Prevention through road or vehicle design, reduced speed limits, driver education, advance detection of
hazardous situations, (future) cooperative/intelligent vehicle-infrastructure systems.
Examples of Deployment
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Laerdalstunnelen, and Opera-tunnelen complex under Oslofjord, Norway
Southern Stockholm Link Tunnel, Sweden
Rijkswaterstaat Weginspecteur/Officier van Dienst(traffic officer) service in Netherlands
Highways Agency Traffic Officer Service on Motorways and dedicated Unit in England
Some other countries‘ road administrations which take an active role in network
management: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland (as identified by Task 13 Interim Report)
England, Netherlands, Norway issue Incident Management Guidelines for responders.
Reference to relevant websites
http://www.incidentmanagement.nl//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=141&Itemid=135
http://www.highways.gov.uk/business/13090.aspx (example of Incident Management Bulletin)
http://www.highways.gov.uk/business/documents/TIMGF_Content.pdf (example of Guidelines)
http://www.tv2nyhetene.no/innenriks/trafikkaos-i-operatunnelen-3293549.html
Address:
CEDR
Tel: +33 (0)1 40 81 36 87
La Grande Arche Nord 5è
Fax: +33 (0)1 40 81 99 16
92055 Paris - La Défense
France
Email: [email protected] Internet: www.cedr.eu