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

  • ITS market size projected to reach US$66.5 billion by 2024
    October 13, 2016
    The global intelligent transportation system (ITS) market is expected to reach US$66.5 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research. The usage of ITS to reduce road accidents and increase safety is a major driving force for the ITS market. Demand for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication in order to enhance road safety is expected to gain momentum over the forecast period. The continuous progression and development have become a crucial need for b
  • The growth of ITS service solutions providers
    July 26, 2012
    Econolite's new subsidiary Aegis ITS has been set up to address the increasingly complex and exacting needs of agencies in the ITS sector. Chief Operating Officer Doug Terry talks about the evolution to service solution provider. A few very notable and honourable exceptions notwithstanding, it is these days becoming increasingly rare to find a public agency which develops its own traffic management systems. Indeed, most now rely on specialist manufacturers and suppliers to fulfil their needs. This has the h
  • NTTA: Diversity boosts access & opportunity
    November 3, 2021
    North Texas Tollway Authority has won IBTTA’s first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award. But what made the organisation’s focus on disadvantaged, minority and woman business enterprises stand out?
  • Open-source journey planning - the way forward?
    January 23, 2012
    Peter Bell, managing director of journey planning provider Trapeze Group, ponders the business models which will underpin future travel information services from a UK perspective Traditionally, journey planning websites for public transport in the UK (for example, Transport Direct, the Traveline regions or National Rail Enquiries) have been provided by the transport operators keen to increase ridership and revenues, or by public bodies who hope to encourage a modal switch to public transport by making it e