Investigation and closure procedures for motorway incidents [: reporting on the achievements of the Department's initiative to reduce congestion and costs following motorway incidents].

CLEAR is a joint initiative between the Department for Transport (DfT), Highways Agency (HA), Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) and Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE). All organisations including the Vehicle Operators Services Agency (VOSA) have endorsed and progressed the CLEAR initiative 10 point action plan, in many cases exceeding the requirements set out. This report confirms the achievement of the December 2012 DfT Business Plan objective to implement measures, including the use of innovative laser scanning equipment, to reduce congestion and costs associated with motorway closures following incidents. The ten point plan sets out actions related to analysis, developing understanding, creating a case study bank, reviewing the Road Death Investigation Manual, promoting and reviewing multi-agency and police training, exploring technology, and monitoring performance. The three themes prioritised for action are clarifying roles and responsibilities, using new technology such as laser scanners, and focussing on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). The key achievements have been closer joint working and cooperation, and the purchase and use of laser scanners. Other significant achievements have been an insight into long duration incidents, the production and dissemination of a booklet and training film focusing on roles and responsibilities, the 2013 Road Death Investigation Manual, wider use of technology such as towing load cells and incident screens, and VOSA's initial actions on HGVs. There is no simple way of quantifying the overall impact of CLEAR. However, should the CLEAR initiative save 5 minutes or more on incidents where motorway lanes are closed for more than four hours that would represent very good value from the resources put in to deliver CLEAR. At this stage we do know that laser scanners save an average of over 40 minutes in investigation time when used on motorways, and that they were assessed as high to very high value for money at a 39 minute time saving. Similarly the business case for load cells flagged a benefit cost ratio of8, and time savings associated with each use of incident screens was £194k. Actions that are continuing include data gathering, analysis and reporting, piloting and roll out of new technology, joint best practice gathering and dissemination, and embedding CLEAR principles in operational guidance. More importantly all parties are committed to learn from best practice and to develop the joint working and cooperation that embodies CLEAR. (Author/publisher)