Why obsolete traffic technology is now a network risk

Much of the digital technology that keeps our highways networks moving is invisible to most road users. But that does not make it any less important. When traffic signal infrastructure becomes outdated or obsolete, the consequences are felt quickly in network reliability, operational efficiency and, ultimately, public confidence.

That is why SWARCO and our industry colleagues are supporting ITS UK’s Stuck on Red campaign. The scale of the challenge is difficult to ignore, with around 15,000 traffic signal controllers in England already obsolete, rising to 18,000 within the next two years, representing 61% of the total estate. This is not a marginal issue for the sector; it is a growing structural problem that affects the resilience and long-term performance of the highways network.

Too often, obsolete infrastructure is kept going through repeated, reactive repairs and short-term fixes. That is somewhat understandable, especially because local authorities are under significant budget pressures, and are having to make difficult decisions about where limited funding is allocated. This campaign supports regular drip funding from central government into the local authorities to help address this, with proven results.

Older infrastructure can be harder and more expensive to maintain, more vulnerable to failure and less capable of supporting the demands being placed on today’s road network. It can also mean missed opportunities to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and make better use of technologies that are already available. At a time when authorities are under increasing pressure to improve efficiency, support decarbonisation and keep networks operating smoothly, relying on infrastructure that is past its useful life is not a sustainable long-term answer.

This is also about more than just maintenance. Advances in resilience and security are easy to overlook when infrastructure is seen as something that should simply continue working in the background. But these systems are critical. Our industry has a responsibility to ensure traffic technology remains fit for purpose, up-to-date and capable of supporting safer, more reliable and more efficient journeys. 

What is needed now is a more strategic approach to central DfT funding regular renewal programmes on an ongoing basis. It means recognising that recurring repairs to obsolete equipment can, over time, cost more than planned replacement, while also limiting the wider benefits that modern traffic technology can deliver.

The Stuck on Red campaign is helping to bring this issue into the open. It reflects a shared recognition across the sector that obsolescence is no longer something that can be left to drift. If we want highways networks that are safe, reliable and efficient, we need to move beyond reactive maintenance and support longer-term investment in the infrastructure that underpins them. That is why we support the campaign’s call for a rolling programme of investment to help local authorities tackle traffic signal obsolescence in a more strategic and sustainable way, as part of their wider improvement programmes. At SWARCO, we are proud to support that conversation and to work with customers to help maximise the performance of their networks.