The Westlink M7 Motorway is a 40 kilometre four lane motorway serving Sydney's west. It links the M2 at Baulkham Hills, the M4 at Eastern Creek and the M5/Hume Highway at Prestons. Westlink M7 is a fully electronic toll road with no toll booths and uses a distance based tolling system.
M7 travel times
Travel time information is available on the M7 motorway, from Baulkham Hills (M2) to Prestons (M5).
The travel time system displays the estimated length of time it should take to reach upcoming motorway exits, based on the current traffic flow. Travel time estimates are updated every minute to reflect the current travel conditions and provide the most accurate estimates.
Travel time estimates are also updated and displayed on the Live Traffic NSW website at www.livetraffic.com. If you are planning to travel on the M7, you can visit this website to check travel times to help plan your journey.
What M7 road users will see
If you are travelling on the M7 Motorway you will see the travel time estimates displayed on every second fixed electronic message sign. Typical travel time messages will include two upcoming exits with estimated times.
Displays will be similar to those in the image below. For example, the image below shows the estimated time to travel from the message sign to the M4 motorway exit is 12 minutes and from the message sign to the M2 motorway is 24 minutes.
If there are delays caused by heavy traffic ahead, the travel time messages may be supplemented with delay messages on other electronic message signs not used for travel time, like the images below. The travel time estimates will be longer than usual reflecting the traffic conditions.
The electronic message signs that are not used for travel time may also show other information such as road work, tolling, special event or road safety messages.
If there are delays caused by a crash or other incidents, the electronic message signs will be used to communicate specific information about the incident or traffic conditions, rather than travel time estimates.
What you will see online at www.livetraffic.com
Travel time estimates are also updated and displayed on www.livetraffic.com. If you are planning to travel on the M7 you can visit www.livetraffic.com and check live travel times being displayed on the electronic message signs before departing. This information can help you plan your trip.
Frequently asked questions
What are the ‘EST. TIME TO EXIT’ messages displayed on electronic signs on the M7?
If you are travelling on the M7 you may see travel time estimates displayed on fixed electronic message signs. The system calculates estimates of how long it should take road users to reach certain motorway exits, based on the current traffic flow.
For example, the image below shows the estimated time to travel from the message sign to the M4 motorway exit is 12 minutes and from the message sign to the M2 motorway is 24 minutes.
What is travel time?
The travel time system displays the estimated length of time it should take to reach upcoming motorway exits, based on current traffic flow. Travel time estimates are updated on electronic message signs to reflect current travel conditions and provide the most accurate estimates. Typical travel time messages include major upcoming exits with estimated times.
How does M7 travel time technology work?
The technology on the M7 works with regularly spaced in-road loops that detect vehicle speeds. Every minute a computer averages these speeds for the previous three minutes and sums up the time to travel along various sections of the M7. This average time to cover a distance is referred to as ‘current traffic flow’
How many in-road loops are there?
There are more than 150 in-road loops on the M7 spaced at about 500 metres to provide travel time estimates for road users in both directions.
Are the tolling gantries used to calculate travel time?
The tolling gantries are not used for the travel time display system as they are not designed for this purpose and are not suitably located to provide real time information.
How often are the times updated?
Estimated travel times are refreshed and displayed on the M7 motorway electronic message signs every minute.
When are travel times displayed?
The M7 travel time system operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Are there occasions when M7 travel time estimates will not be displayed?
If there is an incident on the M7 which causes a significant impact on traffic flow, road conditions or safety, the electronic message signs will be used to communicate specific information about the incident or traffic conditions, rather than travel time estimates.
Does the system read electronic tags?
No, the M7 travel time system uses the in-road loops to detect travel speeds. It does not use tag information collected by the toll gantries.
What does it mean when the electronic message signs are blank?
Every second electronic message sign is not used for travel time display and may appear blank if no other messages are being shown.
The travel time signs may appear blank during routine maintenance or if there has been a power or equipment failure or during repair. In these cases an adjacent electronic message sign may be used to display travel times.