Skip to main content

TRL on track with uTraq

Given the recent position from the European Court of Justice on nitrogen dioxides (NO2) levels within UK cities, TRL has made a timely announcement to say that it is leading a European Space Agency demonstration project called uTraq (Urban Traffic Management and Air Quality) with partners the University of Leicester and Transport Simulation Systems.
November 24, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

 Given the recent position from the European Court of Justice on nitrogen dioxides (NO2) levels within UK cities, 491 TRL has made a timely announcement to say that it is leading a European Space Agency demonstration project called uTraq (Urban Traffic Management and Air Quality) with partners the University of Leicester and 2195 Transport Simulation Systems.

uTraq integrates with the existing traffic management systems of urban and municipal authorities, enabling them to enhance their management of traffic flow and to improve air quality, as well as reducing traffic delays and congestion.  NO2 is one of the major transportation related emissions which is addressed by the uTraq system, which TRL says has the potential to deliver an effective and coordinated approach to the reduction of nitrogen dioxide levels within UK cities.

Current traffic management systems do not have air quality information to drive their strategy decisions so cannot support emissions based policies. uTraq breaks new ground by bringing air quality and weather monitoring systems, modelling / traffic forecasting tools and adaptive traffic management systems into one single user-centric, intelligent, integrated solution.

TRL is leading the demonstration of the uTraq system across three local authorities in the UK as part of the project and is currently seeking authorities who would be interested in being part of a second wave of demonstration pilots.  

Initially, uTraq will integrate with the TRL SCOOT traffic management system, but it is designed with a system architecture that can support other traffic management systems in future developments.


For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • TfL expands SCOOT adaptive traffic management
    January 11, 2013
    Microsimulation traffic modelling has supported a further roll-out of SCOOT adaptive traffic signal control in London, demonstrating a 13% reduction in travel delays. Development of a cost-effective traffic modelling system has led to a further major roll-out of SCOOT adaptive traffic management technology in London, says traffic and software programme director Gavin Jackman of UK transport consultancy TRL. The roll-out of SCOOT at 600 additional intersections, now at its midpoint, is a central plank in the
  • Promoting cycling is the solution to congestion and pollution
    August 20, 2015
    Cycling offers health, air quality and road space/parking benefits, promoting governments and the EU to look at tax and technology initiatives. David Crawford reports. One way to improve urban air quality is to make green alternatives to car use financially attractive. Incentivising employees to switch their travel-to-work mode to using their own bikes could increase cycling’s modal share of commuting travel by 50%, a recent French research project suggests. The country’s government already subsidises pu
  • London needs just one road user charge, says report
    July 8, 2019
    London’s patchwork of road charging schemes should be replaced by a single, distance-based user charge, according to new research. Apart from anything else, it would be much fairer… The UK capital’s multiple road charging schemes require a radical overhaul, according to a new report by the Centre for London thinktank. The suggested solution is to replace existing levies on drivers with a single, distance-based user charge which would more fairly reflect how much, and at what time, people are using London
  • The smart in smart parking
    March 29, 2018
    Whether you want to reduce congestion, increase parking revenue or reduce occupancy – or a mixture of all three – there is plenty of technology available. Andrew Bardin Williams considers the pros and cons. Drawn in by the promise of Smart City initiatives, communities across North America are embracing smart parking solutions in an effort to change citizens’ transportation behaviours for the better. They are doing this by using policy and ITS solutions to help de-incentivise parking for most people while