LENGTHY road closures following traffic accidents could become a thing of the past.

A £56,333 grant to fund a 3D laser scanning unit will enable Dorset Police to record digital images of crash sites.

The roll-out of innovative technology across England, funded by the Government and police, aims to ensure shorter motorway and main road closures after vehicle collisions.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded 27 police forces across England a total of £2.7million.

Dorset Police was awarded a £56,333 grant, out of £341,000 allocated to police forces in the South West.

The funding, together with police and the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) contributions, will enable forces across England to purchase 37 scanners – including one in Dorset.

The technology saves time by quickly making a 3D image of the whole crash site, rather than investigators painstakingly surveying multiple sections of a scene.

This digital image of the site can then be viewed on a computer screen remotely allowing investigators to take measurements of where vehicles are in relation to each other and examine other important evidence.

The wider roll-out of 3D laser scanning technology is part of a Government-led initiative known as ‘CLEAR’, to reduce delays caused by incidents in order to keep traffic moving.

Roads Minister Mike Penning said: “There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck in a traffic jam for hours on end.

“But even worse than that is the shocking £1billion cost of those lost hours for our economy.

“That is why we are determined to improve the clear-up of accidents so we can get our motorways and key roads re-opened as quickly as possible.”

“Today’s £341,000 DfT funding award to the Devon and Cornwall, Avon and Somerset and the Dorset police forces will see 3D laser scanners rolled out quickly where they are needed most.

“This will benefit drivers by reducing incident clear up times by 39 minutes on average.”

Mr Penning thanked police forces and the National Policing Improvement Agency for contributing funds towards the purchase.

In 2010, there were more than 18,000 full or partial motorway closures lasting a total of more than 20,000 hours.

The successful bidders will start to receive their grants this month to enable them to put the technology to use quickly on motorways and major A-roads.

How the 22 bids for scanners were awarded

IN SEPTEMBER, police forces across England were invited to bid for a share of a £3.14million Government fund for the purchase of 3D laser scanners to reduce the length of time motorways are closed by incidents.

The fund was open to bids from the 38 police forces in England which police the strategic road network.

Of the 23 bids received and assessed, only one application, the City of London’s was deemed ineligible – on the grounds that it did not police routes on the strategic road network.

The remaining 22 bids were awarded grants totalling £2.7 million.