Amey announces launch of new Incident Support Unit

Amey today launched a new Incident Support Unit (ISU) design to improve safety on Britain’s road network.

The ISU vehicle has been developed by Amey with a Variable Message Sign (VMS) attached to the roof of the vehicle. Amey’s groundbreaking design will be used to pre-warn drivers about road incidents. It will also be used to protect road workers and improve their safety by warning drivers when no speed restrictions can be applied on the roads when tasks such as grass cutting are taking place.

The rapid response vehicle, which attends incidents with the police to set up  a safety zone and move debris from the scene, was tried out in Scotland in December 2006. It will now be used across Amey’s UK highway contracts.

Chris Webster, Executive Director, Amey, said: “At Amey we are committed to improving safety for both our workforce and for road users across the country. This new vehicle will make it easier to warn drivers of the dangers ahead and ensure that our workers are protected whilst they are working on some of the country’s busiest and fastest roads. Amey are always looking at innovative ways to improve safety and we hope that this new vehicle will help people feel safer on the UK’s roads.”

The VMS shows five warning messages which have been approved by the Highways Agency. Other benefits to the vehicle include the capacity to pull a two tonne trailer, which allows the vehicle to pull a warning sign board, leaving it before the incident as an early warning sign. The vehicle, with its VMS, can then be parked at the incident site providing further warning signs.

Notes to the Editor

VMS
The five messages shown on the VMS are:
1. arrow pointing left
2. arrow pointing right
3. exclamation mark
4. exclamation mark with words incident
5. exclamation mark with words slow down

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