Photos: Inside the traffic buster's control centre

Tech tries to keep the traffic flowing

This is one of the messages currently being trialled on motorway signs. The idea is to give motorists a better idea of the conditions ahead so they can change their route accordingly - if possible.

Photo credit: Highways Agency

The project is being run from here, the National Traffic Control Centre (NTCC) in Birmingham, which looks after strategic traffic management for the whole of England. Regional centres look at traffic at a local level while the NTCC is concerned with the big picture.

An example of an issue to be dealt with here: a lorry queuing operation at Dover might need to be sign-posted further north than Birmingham to give lorry drivers enough chance to respond.

Photo credit: Steve Ranger

This is the control room. It deals with around 4,500 'unplanned events' such as congestion, accidents or bad weather per day. Add in roadworks and that total can rise to 7,000.

Photo credit: Steve Ranger

The 19 work stations cover the whole of England. Its busiest times are - unsurprisingly - at rush hour: from 07:00 to 11:00, and 15:00 to 19:00. Here Steve Crosthwaite, head of the NTCC, stands by the big screen where they monitor roadway events.

Photo credit: Steve Ranger