A MAJOR new transport experiment aims to pilot the future face of motorway driving in the UK. Over the next three to five years the Government will invite scientific and technology experts to get involved in the scheme, scheduled to take place along the M4 and M25 from Swansea to Gatwick.

The Highways Agency, Meteorological Office and police forces will be asked to provide information along the roadside, while telecommunications companies are expected to experiment with driver to driver communication links. The project will also see extended piloting of 'driverless' cars which use sensors to follow the road and maintain a safe distance from the car ahead.

The Transport Research Laboratory will be heavily involved in the project, maintaining its position at the cutting edge of transport developments. The TRL has already played a key role in the development of motorway tolling technology, providing the test bed for pilot schemes to operate.