Well-designed traffic signals are central to the safe and efficient operation of a junction, balancing capacity, safety and the needs of all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. MERAKI provides traffic signal design services from initial junction layout through to detailed staging and timing design, together with the validation of MOVA-controlled sites to confirm that self-optimising signal control is operating correctly once installed.
Traffic signal design
Our traffic signal design service covers new and modified signalised junctions and pelican, puffin, toucan and similar crossing types, for both highway authority and developer-led schemes. This includes:
- Junction layout, stage diagrams and phasing arrangements to suit the site geometry and movements to be controlled
- Signal timing design, including intergreen and clearance time calculations in accordance with current guidance and local authority standards
- Detector layout and specification to support the chosen control strategy
- Preparation of signal design drawings and controller specifications suitable for approval and construction
- Liaison with the relevant highway authority or Traffic Signal Approval Body throughout the design and approval process
- Coordination with wider scheme design, including Road Safety Audit recommendations and accessibility requirements
MOVA validation
MOVA (Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation) is a well-established adaptive control strategy used at isolated signalised junctions and crossings across the UK, adjusting signal timings continuously in response to real-time traffic conditions to reduce delay and maximise capacity. Once a MOVA installation has been commissioned, it must be properly validated to confirm it is performing as intended before being handed over for live operation. Our MOVA validation service includes:
- Checking the detector layout and installation against the MOVA design and site conditions
- Reviewing controller configuration and MOVA parameters against the approved design
- On-site observation of MOVA operation across a range of traffic conditions, including uncongested and oversaturated (congestion) modes
- Identifying and resolving any anomalies in detector performance or signal response prior to sign-off
- Preparing validation records and reports to support formal handover and ongoing performance monitoring
Our experience
MERAKI's engineers have experience across the full lifecycle of traffic signal schemes, from initial design and approval through to on-site commissioning and MOVA validation. We work closely with highway authorities, signal maintaining agents and MOVA equipment suppliers to ensure that signal installations are designed to a high standard and validated thoroughly, so that junctions operate safely and efficiently from day one
