Amey has put a fleet of six new traffic management vehicles into operation on its contracts with the Highways Agency.
According to the company, the seven ton Iveco Daily light commercial vehicles incorporate a new body design which make them a ‘game changer’ for traffic management operations. They can carry enough equipment for a full 2km lane closure, whilst offering multiple safety and operational benefits over larger truck chassis typically used for such deployments.
The design of the overall vehicle is the result of close cooperation between Amey and its suppliers, including bodybuilder Acklea, Strongs Plastic Products and Iveco.
Michael Wilmshurst, HGV and plant procurement and asset development manager at Amey, said: “We engaged with colleagues from across the company in order to understand their precise requirements, and then worked closely on the design of this vehicle with our suppliers. The design went through a prototype build, and then was modified following feedback from staff working on different contracts. This vehicle is a game-changer for traffic management applications and highlights just what can be achieved when you apply fresh-thinking to an existing solution.”
Key to the vehicle’s enhanced efficiency is Iveco’s Daily 70C17 chassis, which despite a 500kg lower gross vehicle weight compared with a traditional 7.5 tonner, offers an increase of 250kg in payload capacity.
The Daily has been specified with rear air-suspension to maintain ground clearance levels at the rear of the vehicle, guaranteeing its suitability for use on a tight or hilly road network.
An LP13 light arrow is mounted on the rear of the vehicle, to direct traffic either side of the Daily when on deployment.
Amey operates approximately 6,000 commercial vehicles in the UK, but this is the first time it has specified the Daily for a traffic management application.
