GOVERNMENT transport bosses are to spend £89.5m on installing new-jam busting technology on the A14, it has been announced.

GOVERNMENT transport bosses are to spend £89.5m on installing new-jam busting technology on the A14, it has been announced.

The move, revealed by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly, will see a range of new improvements implemented - offering drivers journey time information, warnings of upcoming congestion and advice on potential alternative routes

Automatic incident detection sensors will be embedded in the road surface, providing real-time traffic information to electronic signs installed above the road.

This will allow traffic to be re-routed following road incidents, giving drivers a better choice of routes, helping them to escape jams and reducing secondary accidents.

Incident monitoring cameras will also be installed to allow Highways Agency traffic officers to respond more quickly to accidents, helping to cut road closure times and improve safety.

The scheme will cover a total of 62 miles of the A14, from the M1 in the west to Felixstowe in the east.

Mrs Kelly said: “The A14 is a crucial link between the Port of Felixstowe and industrial centres in the Midlands - making it both a key route both for East Anglia and for the wider economy.

“This £89.5m of Government investment reflects both our commitment to assisting economic growth and to improving safety and reliability for drivers on our major roads."

Work will start on site by February 2009 and is expected to be finished by 2010.