White Boxes M5

IanMcD · Post by **IanMcD** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 18:00

Anyone know what the purpose is of the small white boxes that are placed alongside the M5?

They look like wifi routers or some electronic gizmo (sorry, was driving so couldn't take photo). They are on poles approximately 3 metres high and placed about every 500 metres along the verges. Have only seen them personally on the M5 between Gloucester and Stroud so don't know how widespread they are in other parts of the country.

Ian

dragonv480 · Post by **dragonv480** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 20:08

I'm going out on a limb and going to suggest it's MIDAS radar units.

Do they look like this? http://www.wavetronix.com/en/products/s ... technology

Glen · Post by **Glen** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 20:09

It could be Bluetooth monitoring for journey time data.

Jeni · Post by **Jeni** » Thu Nov 24, 2016 15:41

dragonv480 wrote:I'm going out on a limb and going to suggest it's MIDAS radar units.

Do they look like this? http://www.wavetronix.com/en/products/s ... technology

If he's referring to the same white boxes along the M5 that I'm thinking of, then yes, those are them. They seem to be appearing following resurfacing instead of loops in the road itself. Also recently appeared on the M42.

IanMcD · Post by **IanMcD** » Wed Feb 08, 2017 21:20

Thanks for the responses. I got my son to take a photo which may confirm the previous suggestions.
Looking at the Wavetronix link I assume these are for monitoring traffic flow and congestion. If so, who is processing the data? Do they feedback into sat-nav devices?

Glen · Post by **Glen** » Wed Feb 08, 2017 22:36

It's just a different form of detector for the existing MIDAS system, which otherwise uses inductive loops to collect the same data.

michael769 · Post by **michael769** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 13:57

IanMcD wrote:If so, who is processing the data?

The Roads Authority (in the case of the M5 that would be Highways England)

Do they feedback into sat-nav devices?

That's up to the sat nav manufacturers. The data is freely available.

RJDG14 · Post by **RJDG14** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 14:23

I used to assume they were for some kind of free WiFi service.

Osthagen · Post by **Osthagen** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 19:43

I don't think they have any relation to any WiFi service.

Possibly some kind of SatNav-based mechanism?

linuxrocks · Post by **linuxrocks** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 09:56

There is a white box under the M5 on the A4123 (Wolverhampton Road) in Oldbury. Any idea as to what it does? My initial thought was something to do with keeping the buses on time, but this is the only place that I've seen one of these boxes.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.49123 ... 312!8i6656

RichardA35 · Post by **RichardA35** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 10:12

linuxrocks wrote:There is a white box under the M5 on the A4123 (Wolverhampton Road) in Oldbury. Any idea as to what it does? My initial thought was something to do with keeping the buses on time, but this is the only place that I've seen one of these boxes.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.49123 ... 312!8i6656

That looks more like intelligent control and switching of street lights given it is attached to a streetlight.

boing_uk · Post by **boing_uk** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 22:31

No, thats Now Wireless Mesh4G kit. Similar here.

SABRE

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