Highways England launches Maintenance Assistance Vehicle - MAV

Highways England has developed a vehicle to help replace overhead highway signs that it says will reduce the need to close lanes and roads during work The vehicle uses a hydraulic scissor lift similar to that seen on catering vehicles that load food into the hold of airplanes at airports. Traditionally, signs are taken down and installed using a flatbed truck, crane and cherry picker, taking up to 40 minutes. However, the Maintenance Assistance Vehicle (MAV) can do this in around 20 to 25 minutes by usin
July 7, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Easier access with the MAV from Highways England
8100 Highways England has developed a vehicle to help replace overhead highway signs that it says will reduce the need to close lanes and roads during work

The vehicle uses a hydraulic scissor lift similar to that seen on catering vehicles that load food into the hold of airplanes at airports. Traditionally, signs are taken down and installed using a flatbed truck, crane and cherry picker, taking up to 40 minutes. However, the Maintenance Assistance Vehicle (MAV) can do this in around 20 to 25 minutes by using a small jib crane which is part of the vehicle.

Road workers have trialled the MAV and have had to shut down fewer lanes for the operation. Highways England said the device provides a safer environment for workers because they are standing on a sturdy platform.

Once the platform is raised to the required working height, the jib crane attaches to the sign on the gantry and lifts it off.  Operatives then detach the sign, place it onto a trolley on the platform and wheel it into the main compartment of the vehicle. The procedure is reversed when installing an electronic sign.

The hydraulically powered scissor lift enables the signs, which are often found on smart motorway gantries, to be serviced at heights of up to 8.5m and in wind speeds of up to nearly 50kph. CCTV cameras enable the MAV driver to park the vehicle in the correct place below the gantry before any maintenance takes place and monitor operatives working at the back.

Highways England said it is examining the best way for its contractors to purchase the machines. It is estimated that if the device were widely adopted it could save up to €5 million a year. Consideration is also being given as to whether it could be used to improve safety for other duties on England’s motorways and major A roads.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Fugro uses Traffic Speed Deflectometer scans for Highways England
    November 14, 2016
    Fugro has started scanning structural pavement condition data from lane 2 using Highways England’s Traffic Speed Deflectometer (TSD). This is the first time for such scanning as part of the routine network-wide survey of England’s strategic roads, according to Fugro. The global asset integrity specialist has been carrying out Traffic Speed Structural Surveys (TRASS) since autumn 2014 under a 3-year contract (TRASS 3) - Highways England’s largest ever outsourced contract for pavement structural condit
    Read More
  • Trimble is launching new machine control technology
    November 9, 2016
    Trimble is introducing a range of new technology options for customers that will boost working efficiency across a range of duties. The firm has also scored a major deal with one of China’s largest equipment manufacturers, XCMG.
    Read More
  • Mega city transport in Mexico
    June 13, 2012
    Rapid urban growth is resulting in massive mega cities with major transport needs and Mexico City is one of the world’s largest – Mike Woof reports Mexico City is a vast, sprawling metropolis and one of the world’s largest cities, resulting in huge problems for its inhabitants, particularly with regard to infrastructure. Measuring population size is an inexact science for large cities as suburban areas can add to the figures considerably, especially in developing nations where unplanned expansion is as comm
    Read More
  • CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017 will help you imagine what’s next
    March 15, 2017
    What sort of key trends will be on show, and how will these new technologies shape the sector over the coming years? Alan Dron interviewed Al Cervero, the AEM senior vice-president for construction, utility and mining on how the show will reveal what is coming. The theme for this year’s event is “Imagine what’s next”, a particularly appropriate title in view of the changes in both technology and the environment in which that technology will be used.
    Read More

Highlighted Content