Skip to main content

UK government awards funding for transport technology projects

The UK government has awarded funding of US$4.9 million (£4 million) for technology projects that will cut congestion, speed up journeys and clean up the environment. Nineteen councils across England will receive between US$62,000 (£50,000) US$374,000 (£300,000) each for their ideas to improve journeys through digital innovation. The government money will be spent on developing cutting edge technology such as apps and sensors which can be used to cut congestion, improve parking in city centres and ale
February 23, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The UK government has awarded funding of US$4.9 million (£4 million) for technology projects that will cut congestion, speed up journeys and clean up the environment.

Nineteen councils across England will receive between US$62,000 (£50,000) US$374,000 (£300,000) each for their ideas to improve journeys through digital innovation.

The government money will be spent on developing cutting edge technology such as apps and sensors which can be used to cut congestion, improve parking in city centres and alert drivers when electric car charging points become available.

Successful bidders include: Blackpool which will use Bluetooth technologies to cut traffic congestion; Dorset to provide advance congestion warnings for drivers on the A31 using an app; and Warrington to provide real-time information to businesses and public through on-street information displays, social media and phone apps.

Coventry will also receive funding for a real-time bay availability system across 450 pay and display parking spots, while Westminster, Hounslow, Hammersmith and Fulham were awarded funding to roll out a new generation of electric vehicle charge points which will provide real-time data to motorists when they are available. Peterborough also received funding for digital technology to provide real time journey information directly to visually impaired people.

Related Content

  • January 20, 2012
    Home based real time travel information drives reduction in car use
    David Crawford investigates a new approach to discouraging car use - the 'kitchen as travel centre'. ITS technology working together with UK planning legislation is driving an innovative 'kitchen as travel centre' approach to home design which is boosting public transport as an alternative to car use. The combination is already proving powerful enough to assuage environmentalist opposition to major urban developments. It is also being seen as a way of delivering wider social and community benefits inside an
  • December 17, 2014
    Smart parking at London Underground
    Transport for London (TfL) is to implement a ‘smart parking’ system at 31 of its off-street car parks that support key locations across the London Underground network. 1,500 of Smart Parking’s RFID-equipped SmartEye vehicle detection sensors, linked via SmartLink data transmitters into the company’s SmartRep management application, will be installed across TfL’s off-street car park network. The five-year agreement, which will include the provision of equipment, maintenance and hosting, will enable car pa
  • March 25, 2015
    UK councils win funding for local infrastructure projects
    Councils across England will receive a share of US$410 million for major local roads maintenance, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced. The Challenge Fund will be used for one-off major infrastructure schemes by local authorities to improve life for local residents and businesses. The 31 schemes being awarded funding across the 28 local authorities include safety repairs, bridge renewal, carriageway and drainage improvements, as well as upgrading street lighting in a number of areas to bring
  • February 27, 2018
    UK government invests £7m to boost cycle safety
    The UK government will invest £7m ($5m) in cycling projects to improve road safety and create more bike-friendly areas that encourage more people to cycle as part of everyday journeys. It is part of the Department of Transport’s (DoT’s) cycle safety review, which aims to ensure that the country’s roads are as safe as possible for everyone using them. Eight cities, which have already received help from the government to promote cycling, will be able to bid for an additional £6.5m ($4.6m) of funding to