Amey bolster their TRISS fleet, ensuring Transport Scotland keep the Trunk Road Network safe and flowing with MAN TGE.

Amey bolster their TRISS fleet, ensuring Transport Scotland keep the Trunk Road Network safe and flowing with MAN TGE.

Leading infrastructure services and engineering company Amey PLC, has just taken delivery of five new MAN TGE based TRISS (Trunk Roads Incident Support Service) vehicles.

The new Amey MAN TGE TRISS vehicles will be based across Scotland’s busiest trunk roads and motorways and will assist Transport Scotland in providing critical support and advanced information to road users. Historically the TRISS fleet has supported and rescued thousands of stranded motorists, removed countless hazards from the road network and have helped keep traffic moving by delivering reliable minute-by-minute traffic updates.

Pioneered and trialled by Amey, on behalf of Transport Scotland, and rolled out across Scotland’s road network in 2005, the TRISS function has evolved into a service which is fundamental to Scotland’s road infrastructure, immeasurably improving safety for road users and reducing the impact of disruption caused by incidents.

Jason Clement, Fleet Supply Chain Manager at Amey, said; “In 2005 our team worked with Transport Scotland and Police Scotland to develop a unique trunk roads service designed solely to support motorists and the emergency services with the ultimate aim of keeping Scotland moving and improving road user safety.

“Today with the arrival of these new vehicles we can further enhance our TRISS operation, which has gone from strength to strength and has proven essential in reducing the impact of disruption caused by incidents. These latest vehicles, with their cutting edge technologies, will ensure we continue to offer a high level of support to the many motorists across the region.”

The MAN TGE 3.180 vans have been converted to TRISS specification by vehicle conversion specialists Qi Van Systems Limited, based in Telford. Starting with a 3.640mm, standard wheelbase panel van, Qi lined the inside of the vehicles with polypropylene and added an anti-slip phenolic floors, storage racking units also were added. A full suite of R65 approved lighting was installed, including two Amber LED Lightbars, Amber LED lights mounted to the front grill and rear door pillars, four scene lights, one swivel work lamp and two internal load area PIR lights. All lighting is controlled via a Vigil Link control system which has an interface touch control monitor screen fitted.

A RACAM mobile CCTV Camera and monitor is fitted with powered masts which allows the CCTV camera to be raised and lowered as required through the vehicles roof. For safety these feature both an audible and an LED warning, warning the driver that the mast needs to be lowered back into place before driving the vehicle. Rennicks UK supplied the roof mounted LED Variable Message Sign board along with a controller interface, this allows the TRISS vehicle crew to update and enhance road user information during road closures and traffic incidents.

For both crew comfort and welfare QI fitted a 12 volt hand wash system, paper towel dispensers, first aid kits, dry powder fire extinguishers, coat hooks, 12 volt power sockets and USB charging points. All five feature the optional 8 speed automatic transmission, air-conditioning and smart tachographs for towing capabilities.

Jason added; “The many major trunk roads and motorways that cross Scotland are, as you can imagine, heavily trafficked, and our integrated TRISS system helps maximise both traffic flow and road user safety, which at the same time, very much helps support the economy by keeping everyone moving.

“Our Incident Support Operation, with the assistance of our TRISS vehicle fleet, enables us to quickly and efficiently arrive at the scene of an incident, accident or scene of congestion. Once set up we start beaming information to the relevant parties, assist with the management of the safe flow of traffic and attend to the safety of any involved motorists.

“All of the TRISS vehicles are manned by a team of highly experienced people, whom are trained to provide critical support to road users.” Jason added.

Once the TRISS team are on scene and functional they start beaming live feed video footage to the 24/7 staffed support office as well as both Transport Scotland and the blue light services. This visual high definition information assists with instant updates ensuring that the correct remedial action can be taken by all parties involved.

The vehicles have been procured through Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC. Working with both MAN and Qi on behalf of Amey, Hitachi took full responsibility for the evaluation of the vehicles, the quality of the complex conversion and the entire body build process, ensuring that the end product was specified and built to meet the exacting bespoke needs of Amey’s TRISS operation.

Hitachi have also project managed the installation of the RACAM camera and video systems and the Rennicks Variable Message sign board, again ensuring that these fitted Amey’s exacting TRISS operation requirement. Hitachi will also be responsible for both planning and monitoring the routine maintenance and operational support of the vehicles throughout their functioning lives.

“We have a great working relationship with MAN and have known their TGE International Key Account Manager, John Seddon, for a number of years,” commented Jason.

“When we initially looked at the MAN TGE for our TRISS operation we looked at the added values that MAN offer, these being value for money, customer satisfaction and a truly dedicated 24/7 commercial vehicle focused dealer network. It was obvious that MAN’s commitment to customer service is a mirror image of what we offer our customers throughout our business.

“The in-service product demonstration that MAN offered our Scottish TRISS function helped us understand the importance of the committed and understanding relationship. What also helped was the positive feedback from the TRISS team who will be using the TGE’s on a round the clock 24/7 basis.”

Jason concluded, “On behalf of Amey, Hitachi have managed both the procurement of the vehicles and the body build process and the outcome of this combined project has proven to be incredibly successful. The vehicles are already in-service with the TRISS team and are assisting Traffic Scotland in improving safety for road users and reducing the impact of disruption caused by incidents.”

All MAN vehicles are supported by MAN Truck & Bus UK's Nationwide Commercial Vehicle Dealer network, with many operating extended hours, including round-the-clock servicing and customer tailored solution maintenance.

The entire MAN range benefits from MAN's Mobile24 24-hour assistance service, which guarantees customers a professional roadside partner throughout Europe 365 days of the year.

_{About Amey PLC}

_{Amey is a leading infrastructure services and engineering company.}

_{We are at the heart of modern Britain, helping the economy to grow by designing, maintaining and transforming the nation’s strategic assets.}

_{Our 16,000 people are behind the critical services the country relies on every day and we each take personal pride in our public service.}

_{Our unique engineering and operations experience, together with data driven insight from our consulting business, delivers better results for our clients.}

_{We are trusted partners of Government – both national and local – managing assets and complex projects that are vital to the sustainable growth of the country.}

_{About Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions}

_{Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, a division of Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC, is one of the UK’s top 10 largest leasing companies and has more than 25 years’ experience in providing bespoke fleet finance and fleet management services for businesses across the UK.}

_{Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions has a fleet size of over 95,000 vehicles ranging from cars, small, medium and large vans to HGVs, with a combined asset value of £1.2bn. The business provides all forms of funding, maintenance, accident and daily rental management, supporting customers across every stage of the vehicle life cycle.}

_{Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions is unique in the market in being able to offer every kind of asset, including large trucks and plant machinery, as well as car-based employee benefits for employees of medium and large corporates and a market-leading personal lease offering both directly and via a network of brokers.}

_{About Qi Van Systems}

_{Qi Van Systems (Qi) is a family owned prestige commercial vehicle converter that has been trading successfully from our Telford premises for over 35 years. They offer customers a full range of conversion products, from van racking through to vehicle graphics. Qi manage the whole vehicle conversion process, from receipt of a vehicle from manufac­turer, manufacturing and fitting bespoke van racking, through to managing delivery to the end user.}

_{Qi own and operate two sites in Telford, with a total storage facility of over seven acres, both with 24/7 security. Their main site on Stafford Park consists of two units where our van racking is manufactured and fitted, with a secondary storage site located on a major commercial rail site. Their ultimate aim is to encourage customers to consider using the rail network to deliver new vehicles into Qi, thus reducing their joint Carbon footprint.}