Case Study
Milton Keynes Integrated Traffic Management
Tools
Involved
- Variable Message Signs;
- Adaptive Traffic Signal Control;
- Common Database;
- Parking Management.
Site Description
Milton Keynes is the largest of England's 'new towns', with a population of some 200,000 with a similar number in towns near by. It is a designated growth area, required to accommodate an increase of over 70,000 homes by 2031.
Site Problems
The original plan for Milton Keynes provided for a range of transport and movement opportunities. The private car particularly benefits from the early provision of carriageway and parking infrastructure. If growth in travel is not managed effectively this network will come under increasing pressure.
Scheme Description
Milton Keynes is implementing a two-phase project, which will tackle
traffic flow and car parking.
By 1999, Milton Keynes was developing a VMS concept separately but in
parallel with the modernisation of traffic signals. These plans were brought
together and matured to include a UTC system to manage the network and
parking capacity. Implementation plans included a complete upgrade of
all existing traffic signal equipment, the provision of LED traffic signal
heads and an extensive fibre communications network.
English Partnerships provided funding and acted as client for the project.
Peek Traffic was chosen as the main suppliers, supported by Crown Cutting
for the installation of the private fibre network.
The car park management system covers 6 surface level blocks of car parking
in the central retail area. Each block has between 6 and 12 entry and
exit points and between 450 and 220 spaces over a 90ha area. Vehicle detection
located at the entry points links to the central processor that determines
the car park occupancy and relays the information to the roadside signs.
This achieves a more efficient usage of the car parks and encourages shoppers
into the central retail area of Milton Keynes. A bus priority system is
being introduced along Midsummer Boulevard, the central avenue through
the retail core and the public transport spine through Central Milton
Keynes. This will improve the reliability of bus services for shoppers
and journeys to work. The car park VMS system was designed with an open
protocol to give a greater choice of supplier for future upgrades. SCOOT
is used to manage traffic flow through signal junctions. The Peek Prism
system will provide bus priority in the short term prior to the introduction
of more extensive systems.
A communications network links the on-street equipment back to the central
processor in Milton Keynes Council offices. In the design process, a number
of options were considered. The use of leased lines would create a heavy
burden of maintenance payments and the plethora of radio traffic already
in Central Milton Keynes dictated against a wireless option. A private
fibre network was chosen as it offered the benefits of low ongoing costs,
integrity and easier future expansion opportunities.
Installation costs were lowered by making use of existing ducted network
in Milton Keynes used by the Police for CCTV. This created the added benefit
of providing a large capacity network for future growth in data transmissions.
The communications network is central to the effectiveness of these systems
and the fibre network provides a resilient stable media to build upon.
It provides not only for short term immediate needs, but also allows spare
capacity for other services. Further, contingency planning is expected
to be minimal as the fibre network is generally robust and features a
resilient redundant ring configuration.
Scheme
Objectives
Key transport policy objectives therefore are:
- to effectively manage traffic flow through Central Milton Keynes;
- to effectively manage the use and availability of parking spaces in the central area; and
- to introduce opportunities to encourage the use of alternative modes to the private car.
Integrated Systems
The communications network in Milton Keynes has been designed to accept additional services, which need not be transport related.
Costs
The capital cost for the VMS system for car parks was around £200,000, the cost of the ducted network was £325,000, with £423,000 for the complete refurbishment of the existing traffic signals and the cost of SCOOT UTC £120,000.
The whole scheme is estimated to cost £1.5 million.
Anticipated benefits
English Partnerships believes that the reduction in congestion and delays resulting from the combined system could save motorists and bus passengers in CMK more than £3 million over a 10-year period. In addition, the system will bring accident reductions and overall safety benefits. The financial savings these generate will be in addition to other benefits such as improved air quality and less stressful driving conditions. The UTMC system will also be configured to give priority to public transport services.
Benefits
No actual benefits yet reported.
No attempt has been made to validate the results reported. Users of the guidance are encouraged to assess the robustness of the results presented and the likely transferability of the case study to their own local environment.
More Information
Karl FitzGerald, English Partnerships
Central Business Exchange II
414-428 Midsummer Boulevard
Central Milton Keynes MK9 2EA
English Partnerships Press Release 19/08/2002 | Travel in Milton Keynes
just gets better - http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/page.aspx?pointerid=42840liCY8sLWgaGqsYcegc1xeOJVGOX
