The use of 3D laser scanners to capture evidence after a road collision is saving an average of 44 minutes per investigation, roads minister Stephen Hammond has suggested.
Thirty-eight scanners, which make a 3D image of the entire incident scene and avoid the need for investigators to survey multiple scene sections individually, were funded by the DfT and the police for use by 27 police authorities recently after a 2009 trial suggested their use would save 39 minutes on investigation time per incident.
Feedback from those police authorities on 24 major incidents that took place between July and October last year shows an additional saving of five minutes per incident, however.
Announcing the figure, Hammond said the use of laser scanners alongside a variety of other initiatives, such as incident screens to shield collisions and prevent ‘rubber-necking’, would “help to keep traffic moving and save the economy tens of millions of pounds a year”.
A DfT spokesman was unable to confirm exactly what current average investigation and clear-up times are.
Malcolm Bingham, head of road network management policy at the FTA, welcomed the time saving outlined by Hammond. “To save 40 minutes might not seem a great deal but we would support anything that reduces incident time,” he said.
Laser scanners are not the only solution to the problem added Bingham - pointing to a greater use of traffic information by fleets that would help avoid more vehicles joining the delays caused by such accidents and incidents.
Better communications between the Highways Agency, police and other organisations involved would also help keep clearance times to a minimum, he also suggested.
“They have a better operational procedure in place now than before, but the continuing improvement of that will help reduce these long delays and ensure clearance a bit more quickly,” he said.
