Case Study

Trafficmaster Ltd

Tools Involved

Route Guidance and Navigation;
Broadcast Congestion Information.

Site Description

Trafficmaster Ltd Ltd was founded in 1988 and is a major provider of traffic information using tools such as satellite navigation and tracking systems. Their core business is the collection and dissemination of live traffic information using their nationwide (8000-mile) network of sensors and transmitters.

Site Problems

Strategic roads tend to suffer high levels of congestion, which can be reduced by informing motorists of real time traffic information. This information includes pending traffic jams and the calculation and description of alternate routes.

Scheme Description

Trafficmaster Ltd collects its traffic information from 7,500 sensor sites. On motorways Trafficmaster Ltd uses infrared sensors mounted on bridges to determine the average speed of traffic flow. On trunk roads Trafficmaster Ltd have installed Passive Target Flow Measurement, which uses ANPR on two cameras to calculate average journey times. Information collected is automatically feed through to traffic information services and back to the control centre for analysis.

Traffic information is updated on a three-minute cycle, ensuring that the end-user is also supplied with the current status of traffic flow. Trafficmaster Ltd also provides a web-based service (http://www.Trafficmaster Ltd.net) and a telephone service - run in conjunction with the RAC. Trafficmaster Ltd is further augmented through access to the RAC and several other incident databases.

Scheme Objectives

Trafficmaster Ltd aims to improve motorist's journeys and reduce their trip times by keeping them informed of congestion spots and providing diversionary routes where appropriate. The tools also aim to improve driver safety. As drivers have access to alternate routes they are able to avoid congestion and congested related incidents.

Improvements

It is anticipated that the system will:

better utilise the road network capacity, through diverting traffic to alternate routes;
reduce traffic congestion;
reduce driver stress; and
improve the environment through reduced pollution.

Integrated Systems

The Trafficmaster Ltd database is linked with the RAC Live and other incident databases. A historical record of average speeds is used to calculate estimated journey times of pre-planned routes.

Costs

No information available - commercial service.

Benefits