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

  • December 5, 2014
    Motorists want roads repaired before smart motorways, says survey
    According to research by Bury-based online car supermarket JamJar Direct, which indicates that 47 per cent of Greater Manchester motorists claim to have been affected by the construction works, communications around the M60 smart motorway improvements are sorely lacking. Almost two thirds of Greater Manchester motorists (62 per cent) are aware that the M60 is being turned into a smart motorway, but over 40 per cent, equivalent to 81,000 vehicles per day using affected stretch of M60 between junctions 8 a
  • January 26, 2012
    What's next for traffic management and data collection?
    As the technologies and stakeholders in traffic management evolve, what can we expect to see happening in the coming years? For many, the conversation of the moment is just how, and how far, the newer technologies and services provided principally by the private sector should be allowed to intrude into the realms of traffic management.
  • December 8, 2014
    Voting for change - the democratisation of transportation
    Contra Costa is using an innovative planning method to gather suggestions and craft future transportation spending plans. Public opinion in matters relating to transport rarely exceeds complaints about congestion on the roads, crowded metros, slow buses with ‘exorbitant’ fares or perhaps enforcement cameras.
  • September 15, 2016
    UK motorists ‘relax attitudes’ on distracted driving
    Research for the RAC’s Report on Motoring 2016 has revealed that for some, attitudes towards handheld mobile use have worryingly relaxed over the last two years. The proportion of people who feel it is acceptable to take a quick call on a handheld phone has doubled from seven per cent in 2014 to 14 per cent in 2016 and the percentage of drivers who feel it is safe to check social media on their phone when in stationary traffic, either at traffic lights or in congestion, has increased from 14 per cent in