Case Study
Coventry UTMC
Tools Involved
- Adaptive Traffic Signal Control
- Car Park and Roadside Security
- Common Databases
- Dedicated Lane Enforcement
- Public Transport Priority
- Parking Management
- Passenger Information Systems
Site Description
Coventry is a City in the West Midlands, with a population of approximately 300,000, which is estimated to grow to 400,000 within the next 10 years. Coventry is currently undergoing a period of investment and regeneration, with the objective of delivering sustainable growth. Several new developments have been built, most notably a new super-hospital in the east of the city, a sizable retail park incorporating a football stadium in the north and latterly a large IKEA store in the city centre.
Site Problems
Bus usage in the city has been declining over recent years while traffic levels, congestion and journey times have been increasing. The new developments are encouraging further traffic growth. The city’s traffic management system was old and utilised leased line communications, meaning there are high communications costs and that traffic on key routes was not being managed in an optimal fashion.
The traffic management developments across the city centre mean that demands for management and control of car parking will increase.
Scheme Description
Coventry City Council was awarded £28.5 million as part of the DfT Local Transport Plan settlement in 2004 to improve public transport provision on key radial corridors approaching Coventry City Centre. This was supplemented with £8 million from the local bus operator, Travel Coventry, and additional monies from the conurbation’s bus showcase programme and
section 106 funding. Some of this money was used for non-ITS measures to improve the physical state of highways and to install new junctions, roundabouts, bus lanes, red routes, parking facilities and bus shelters. The remainder was set aside for a variety of Intelligent Transport System (ITS) tools. The core element to the scheme is an Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC) system, consisting of:
- the replacement of the central urban traffic control system computer and on-street equipment;
- establishing a suitable control room for urban traffic control operations;
- moving away from the current analogue BT leased lines to city owned digital fibre-optics and wireless network;
- upgrading legacy equipment to UTMC standards; and
- utilising the UTMC common database to interface 3rd party systems.
The scheme also includes providing public transport priority at key intersections on busy routes, a comprehensive bus real-time information system, car park guidance and free text variable message signs (VMS) on key approaches to the city centre. Communications will be provided for the most part through the UK’s largest MESH network. MESH is a digital private radio network. Each radio device acts both as a receiver and transmitter so each set of traffic signals, real time information sign etc is an integral part of the communications network. Data are transmitted at 2.4GHz between these devices (see picture of traffic signals with MESH antenna above). There are regularly spaced access points where data can then be transferred via either longer distance 5.8GHz wireless communications or fibre optic cable back to the communications centre at UTMC control room from where data is distributed to the appropriate sub-systems.
Public Transport Priority is being installed at about 80 junctions on key routes, with varying levels of priority awarded to approaching buses depending on their lateness.
The real time information aspect of the scheme includes approximately 130 equipped buses, 180 at stop signs and larger interchange displays, internet access, mobile internet access, and provision of information via an SMS text messaging service. Some of these locations will be using the MESH communications network with others using a public radio General Packet Radio system (GPRS) network. There are also server to server links included in the scheme which link the current and legacy real time bus information systems that exist in Coventry to make best use of existing infrastructure.
Variable Message Signs are being installed on seven approaches to the city centre ring road and at three locations within the ring road itself. Nine of the VMS are fixed plate signs with variable LED elements with one sign entirely variable.Scheme Objectives
“The provision of improved Public Transport is a fundamental pre-requisite of the City Council’s regeneration policy and to the growth agenda of the area.” (PrimeLines Progress Report - Feb05-Jan-2010entry City Council)
The key objectives of the Coventry Primelines scheme is to improve the quality, reliability and public perception of public transport in Coventry, and through this to increase bus patronage, reduce congestion and pollution on the local road network.
The new system will provide the tools and information for the Traffic Manager to comply with the obligations under the Traffic Management Act and benefits will accrue to the motorist from this improved traffic control and management.
Integrated Systems
As with all UTMC systems, the Coventry system uses a common database and standardised connections and protocols to share data between system components. The use of a metropolitan area network based around fibre and MESH communications makes this project especially interesting from a financial perspective as it offers the opportunity for significant communications cost savings.
Costs
The total estimated cost of all works (including civils and resurfacing works) is approximately £42 million, of which approximately £3.5 million would be for provision of area wide bus real time information, and £850,000 would be for communications network roll out.
Actual costs will be reported once available.
Benefits
Anticipated benefits of the scheme are as follows:
- Bus usage would increase by 25% on each corridor
- Bus usage across the network would increase by 10% by 2011
- Public transport modal split to the City Centre would increase to 30% across the day
- There would be a significant increase in satisfaction levels of bus passenger users.
The overall economic assessment of the scheme was that it would provide a Benefit Cost ratio (BCR) in net present value terms of 1.28.
The assessments identified a general improvement in environmental conditions as increased bus usage reduced vehicle emissions.
Anticipated accident savings amount to a reduction of 120 accidents over the 30-year period of the assessment.Benefits are shown in the table below.
Benefits Expected |
||
Impact Assessment |
Environment |
Environmental benefits are anticipated but not yet achieved. |
Accessibility |
No benefits expected or reported. |
|
Safety |
Benefits anticipated but not yet reported. |
|
Efficiency and Economy |
No benefits expected or reported. |
|
Integration |
Benefits accrue under the other Government Policies sub-objective related to achieving e-Government & social inclusion objectives and under the improved transport interchange objectives. |
|
User Acceptance |
No benefits yet achieved, but these are anticipated. |
|
This table will be updated once statistics are available.
More Information
Primelines Information (Coventry City Council Website)
Coventry Transport Programme (Coventry City Council Website)
