Skip to main content

Introduction to traffic signals

A new book by Alastair Gollop, senior ITS consultant at Mott McDonald, Traffic Signals, offers a comprehensive guide to traffic signals from first principles and design issues to equipment and testing, commissioning and assessments. In addition, there are sections covering the history and future of signals. Although based on equipment and operating systems utilised in the UK, the principles covered are relevant to users worldwide. Aimed at anyone interested by traffic signals, Gollop says the book assume
March 10, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A new book by Alastair Gollop, senior ITS consultant at Mott McDonald, Traffic Signals, offers a comprehensive guide to traffic signals from first principles and design issues to equipment and testing, commissioning and assessments. In addition, there are sections covering the history and future of signals. Although based on equipment and operating systems utilised in the UK, the principles covered are relevant to users worldwide.

Aimed at anyone interested by traffic signals, Gollop says the book assumes no prior knowledge, but builds to a complete introduction to the subject. It is primarily aimed at traffic signal practitioners of all levels, graduate engineers seeking an introduction to the field and members of other engineering specialism's and client groups wishing to further their understanding of the subject.

Traffic Signals looks at the way in which modern signals operate and the equipment commonly used in current traffic control systems in the UK. It also looks at how signalised junctions and crossings are designed, explaining the fundamental design principles, and how these are used by modern software modelling tools to predict traffic operation.
 
Included within the book is a set of standard detail drawings which are commonly used when specifying and designing projects.

Related Content

  • TfL trials cyclist detection
    June 5, 2015
    New world first trials would allow TfL to better cater for cyclists at key junctions Further on-street trials will take place later this year TfL now given blanket approval from DfT to install low-level cycle signals at junctions Transport for London (TfL) is to trial a new technology that will help give cyclists more time on green lights.
  • TM 2.0 boost TMC data feed and driver influence
    November 15, 2017
    TM 2.0 views connected vehicles and V2I as two-way communications channels, benefitting traffic management and drivers, as Alan Dron discovers. As connected vehicles are progressively rolled out there will come a point at which traffic managers and traffic management centres (TMCs) will have to gear up to cope with a rapidly-evolving road scenario. The TM 2.0 Platform (see box) is promoting a concept of new-generation traffic management (which carries the same TM 2.0 title) and is studying how future T
  • Will the European Electronic Tolling System serve its purpose?
    February 3, 2012
    ASECAP's Kallistratos Dionelis asks whether, despite the best intentions at the policy level, the European Electronic Tolling System can ever hope to serve the customer in the way it is intended to. Reality doesn't just happen. In many ways, reality is created. We first create or produce a reality and then we consume it; this takes time and has a cost that needs to be covered.
  • IntelliDrive and HOT lanes - the next generation?
    January 30, 2012
    Janet Banner, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and Christopher Hill, Mixon Hill, Inc., outline efforts to explore the use of IntelliDrive technologies in HOT lane applications. On 21 October last year more than 100 transportation professionals came together for a workshop, either in person or via a webinar, to discuss the potential role of IntelliDriveSM technologies in enhancing the operations of High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes. The discussions focused on a White Paper, commissioned by the Metropoli