The RTCCs will monitor traffic conditions over a wide area, and warn motorists well in advance of any delays on the motorway or trunk road network and supplement existing police control offices via four key functions.

Firstly, the centres will control traffic, using variable message signs, and monitor it on a region-wide basis across England's trunk road network; secondly, they will collect and store all relevant traffic data, and transmit real time information to traffic control systems and providers of driver information services; thirdly, they will monitor the performance of the trunk road network; and lastly, may operate roadside telephone call handling, passing emergency calls on to the emergency services. The Government hopes to fund the RTCCs as a private finance initiative.

'Regional Traffic Control Centres - meeting the traffic management challenge' is available from the Highways Agency on 0171 921 2355. A consultation seminar will take place on January 9, 1997.