UK town to use traffic lights to tackle speeding

Swindon in the UK is set to trial smart traffic lights which turn to red if approaching drivers are breaking the speed limit. Sensors will detect speeding vehicles and if they are above a preset limit then the signals ahead will turn to red. If congestion builds up then the traffic light phasing will change automatically to allow more traffic through the junction. ANPR systems will detect emergency vehicles and ensure they are not inhibited by the system.
April 25, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSSSwindon in the UK is set to trial smart traffic lights which turn to red if approaching drivers are breaking the speed limit. Sensors will detect speeding vehicles and if they are above a preset limit then the signals ahead will turn to red. If congestion builds up then the traffic light phasing will change automatically to allow more traffic through the junction. ANPR systems will detect emergency vehicles and ensure they are not inhibited by the system.

In 2009, Swindon became the first local authority in the UK to switch off all of its speed cameras in response to budget cuts from central government, a move that has been copied by several other authorities. Interestingly, it is reported that since then, accidents both at the camera sites, and in the town as a whole, have dropped.

“We welcome trials of technologies other than cameras to deter speeding drivers and this sort of system is already extensively used in Spain and Portugal,” commented Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the 4961 RAC Foundation. “But will the odd red light be enough of a deterrent to change the behaviour of persistent offenders?
Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision Classification & Data Collection Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • Wireless traffic data in real time
    January 31, 2012
    The effect of moving objects on the electromagnetic landscape set up by cellular telephony networks can be detected and interpreted to give real-time traffic data across large geographical areas at low cost. Here, we revisit the Celldar concept. Global economic downturn has pushed public-sector agencies, transport administrations among them, to push even harder for cost efficiencies. Unfortunately, when it comes to transport safety and efficiency the public sector often has to work up to a cost rather than
    Read More
  • New York’s Midtown in Motion traffic management system wins ITS America award
    June 6, 2012
    ITS America has recognised the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DoT) for Midtown in Motion, the sophisticated traffic management system launched last July that uses ITS to ease traffic congestion, improve traffic flow, and reduce greenhouse emissions and air pollution on the city’s most congested streets. Coinciding with the award, NYC DoT announced that it is expanding the system, which currently covers 110-square blocks, to cover 270-square blocks in the city’s most heavily congested neighb
    Read More
  • European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement
    February 2, 2012
    David Crawford surveys European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement
    Read More
  • Cellint measures speed and travel time without roadside infrastructure
    April 10, 2014
    Collecting speed and travel time data without using roadside infrastructure could offer new possibilities to cash-strapped road authorities. Streaming video may be useful for traffic controllers to monitor incidents and automatic number plate recognition may be required for enforcement, but neither are necessary for many ITS functions. For instance travel times, tailbacks, percentage of vehicles turning, origin and destination analysis can all be done using Bluetooth and/or WI-Fi sensors and without video o
    Read More

Highlighted Content