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12 | Reach Issue 5 2013

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he Highways Agency Traffc Offcer Service has been a major user of the Airwave Network since 2004, when its now familiar patrols frst began supporting England’s motorway drivers. As the service has matured, Airwave Network has become an integral communications medium in what can often be a harsh and dangerous environment. Each of the seven Traffc Offcer Service regions covers a large geographical area, encompassing all of England’s motorways, and many of the major connecting all-purpose trunk roads. Traffc offcers

patrol many thousands of miles a day and deal with a vast variety of incidents – from bits of assorted debris causing hazards to drivers; through the amazing variety of wildlife that see a motorway as a safe crossing or landing ground; to what can occasionally be a major incident involving many vehicles and potentially dangerous loads. In each of these types of events, safety is a critical factor, and training for the job includes the substantial use of radio for passing and receiving essential information crucial for the safe and speedy resolution of incidents. Not surprisingly then, traffc offcers rank highly amongst

Airwave Network users for the volume of voice traffc that is generated. Furthermore, until now, the absence of hard detailed information relating to voice messages has meant that the Traffc Offcer Service has not been able to focus on making a more effcient and economical use of the features and functionality available. This includes making a wider use of the capabilities associated with the TETRA radio terminals.

But now, after some considerable efforts in examining voice traffc, the Traffc Offcer Service has been able to introduce the replacement of many voice messages with data transmissions which carry