Skip to main content

Live traffic cameras help Durham Council cut congestion

Hosted video service provider NW Systems has designed and developed an 18-camera system for Durham County Council in the UK to help them monitor and manage city centre traffic congestion affecting the city’s main arteries during major road works, bridge repairs and traffic signalisation projects. NW Systems developed an HD quality camera system for the Council’s Traffic Signals and Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC) team to provide real-time views over potential congestion hot spots associated w
August 5, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Hosted video service provider NW Systems has designed and developed an 18-camera system for Durham County Council in the UK to help them monitor and manage city centre traffic congestion affecting the city’s main arteries during major road works, bridge repairs and traffic signalisation projects.

NW Systems developed an HD quality camera system for the Council’s Traffic Signals and 3549 Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC) team to provide real-time views over potential congestion hot spots associated with major repairs on a city centre bridge which handles approximately 48,000 vehicles each day.

During the period of the bridge repairs, traffic was restricted to one lane each way, potentially causing major congestion. A combination of early warnings to motorists and a proactive public information campaign aimed to keep the traffic moving.  

According to NW Systems, the new traffic cameras, combined with early warnings to motorists and a proactive public information campaign using the Council’s website, ensured that traffic volumes in rush-hours fell nearly 25 per cent below normal levels for the time of year.

Related Content

  • Driving forward cooperative intersection safety applications
    July 24, 2012
    Gregory Davis, FHWA, John Harding, NHTSA, and Mike Schagrin, ITS Joint Program Office (RITA) chart the course for cooperative intersection safety applications being pursued as part of the IntelliDrive programme. Crashes at intersections accounted for 8,703 highway fatalities in the US in 2008. Research and development is moving forward on IntelliDriveSM safety applications designed to help drivers avoid intersection accidents. These new safety systems could substantially drive down the highway death and inj
  • Jeddah juggles transport needs of residents, pilgrims and tourists
    December 22, 2015
    Mass pilgrimages, new tourists and a growing population lead Jeddah to seek some smart transport solutions as David Crawford finds out. Rationalising traffic movement and public transport in a major Middle Eastern business and tourist centre that is also a gateway for millions of religious pilgrims every year is the challenge for the 20-year Jeddah Strategic Plan and the Jeddah Public Transport Programme (JPTP) it spawned. The latter is costed at US$8bn.
  • System predicts train delays and informs response
    February 25, 2016
    David Crawford looks into the near-term future for Stockholm’s rail commuters. Swedish rail operator Stockholmståg, which runs commuter services in and around the country’s capital, is claiming a world first with the introduction of its automated Pendelprognosen (commuter prognosis) service. Developed to enable the prediction of delays as much as two hours before they are likely to occur, this offers the operator the scope for much earlier remedial action than previously - for example by filling in the expe
  • Videalert enforces low traffic neighbourhoods
    January 20, 2021
    ANPR cameras used to issue fines to drivers without relevant residents' parking permit