End of the road for Traffic Radio

Digital station Traffic Radio has ceased broadcasting online and on DAB multiplexes after its funding from the Highways Agency ended.

The station – which has been run by GTN for the last three years – provided region-specific traffic and travel news, designed for journey planning and live reports.

The ‘Traffic Radio’ name could yet reappear under a different guise in the future. A spokesman for the Highways Agency told RadioToday.co.uk: “We advertised the opportunity to license the Traffic Radio brand last month to see if a radio service could be provided at no cost to the taxpayer. We are currently evaluating the response to that advertisement. If a proposal is considered to be satisfactory the service could be broadcasting later in the year.

Traffic Radio started as a trial in 2007 before a formal 3-year contract was awarded by the government to Global Traffic Network in 2008. More recently it launched a smartphone app to allow listening on the move as well as via digital radio multiplexes.

Today also sees the end of a free traffic information service for community radio stations which was paid for by the Highways Agency and supplied by Trafficlink and GTN.

Andrea Day, Communications manager at Trafficlink told RadioToday.co.uk: “We are keen to support this important part of the radio industry with a comprehensive travel service across roads and public transport information. Trafficlink and GTN have provided an alternative to all the community radio stations that opted into the old scheme to ensure their service continues. We hope to make this new scheme available to all Ofcom licenced community radio stations across the UK in the coming months”

Community radio stations wanting to know more about the service should contact Andrea at Trafficlink directly via their website.