Amey has added five new MAN TGE based TRISS (Trunk Roads Incident Support Service) vehicles its fleet to support Transport Scotland.

The 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.

The TRISS fleet has rescued thousands of stranded motorists, removed countless hazards from the road network and has helped keep traffic moving by delivering reliable minute-by-minute traffic updates.

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 Qi Van Systems Limited, based in Telford. The vehicles are lined with polypropylene and have 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.

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.

Rennicks UK supplied a 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, power sockets and USB charging points.

Clement 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.”

The vehicles were procured through Hitachi Capital. 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.