Skip to main content

Next generation traffic management has CHARM

A collaboration between Highways England (formerly Highways Agency) and the Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) to develop an integrated advanced traffic management system (ATMS) for the UK and Dutch highways is in the process of finalising the software platform requirements. The Common Highways Agency Rijkswaterstaat Model (CHARM) program aims to move towards an open, modular ATMS architecture that is integrated, flexible and scalable. Highways England and RWS have collaborated in order to develop requirements for a
August 20, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
A collaboration between 8101 Highways England (formerly 503 Highways Agency) and the 4767 Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) to develop an integrated advanced traffic management system (ATMS) for the UK and Dutch highways is in the process of finalising the software platform requirements.

The Common Highways Agency Rijkswaterstaat Model (CHARM) program aims to move towards an open, modular ATMS architecture that is integrated, flexible and scalable. Highways England and RWS have collaborated in order to develop requirements for a new generation of traffic management systems that will be jointly procured to support the operational processes of traffic management centres.

Austrian company Kapsch TrafficCom has been awarded a contract by the Rijkswaterstaat and has been advised of Highways England’s intention to award a contract to supply its advanced traffic management system DYNAC as part of the CHARM collaborative program.

In a contract valued at around US$66.7 million, Kapsch will deliver and install DYNAC in two traffic management centres, one in England and one in the Netherlands, with the instalment set to be completed within 26 months of the start date. Following implementation in the first traffic management centres, DYNAC will be installed by a third party in all remaining traffic management centres. The contract also includes provision of maintenance support services for a period of up to 13 years.

The proposed modular architecture would allow Highways England and Rijkswaterstaat to improve operational efficiency by using contemporary traffic management systems to cater for developments in traffic management within the agencies. It is expected that the majority of the existing applications will be replaced.

The CHARM programme plans deliver the first traffic management centres in 2016 and to complete the implementations in 2018.

Related Content

  • May 21, 2012
    Professional training key to the future of ITS
    A substantial portfolio of resources is available and expanding, to help employers and professionals build essential skills for current and future needs – the ITS Professional Capacity Building Program. Pete Goldin reports. The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) views ITS as key to the future of transportation, as is evident from the department’s ITS Professional Capacity Building (PCB) program. This is a further manifestation of USDOT’s commitment to ITS. The PCB program provides anyone in the transpo
  • July 4, 2012
    Meeting the challenges of smartcard fare payment
    David Crawford monitors a growing trend in contactless smartcard ticketing The north east United States has become a hive of activity in the smart fare payment arena. In October 2011, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) published, as a preliminary to an imminent procurement process, the detailed concept of its New Fare Payment System (NFPS). Based on open payment industry standards, this is designed to be implemented on all MTA bus and subway services operated by New York City Transit (
  • September 10, 2015
    UK council awards highways asset management contract
    Norfolk County Council has awarded a five year, US$770,000 contract to highways asset management software provider Yotta. The deal includes Internet hosted versions of Mayrise highways and street works software, as well as Yotta’s visualised asset management platform, Horizons. The contract also includes multi-platform support for mobile devices as well as integration with the Council’s customer relationship management (CRM), finance system and third party contractor works management system. The Mayrise
  • October 7, 2013
    North Florida signals coordinated approach to congestion management
    David Crawford investigates innovative congestion management in Florida. The largest US city by area is well into the implementation of an ambitious congestion management system (CMS) on the scale of those of higher-profile centres such as Seattle and San Francisco. Regional agency the North Florida Transportation Planning Organisation (NFTPO) aims to ensure that commuters on major highways in Jacksonville can rely on a minimum 72km/h (45mph) driving speed in normal conditions.