EarthSense clears traffic from pollution hotspots

EarthSense is working in the UK with Coventry City Council to divert traffic away from heavily congested roads and pollution hotspots. EarthSense’s air quality sensors are located in areas of the city where levels of nitrogen dioxide have been identified as high; particularly along the A4600 route at Walsgrave Road – a major link in and out of Coventry. When pollution levels are breached, the sensors send alerts to the urban traffic management centre where they trigger messaging on variable message s
August 2, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

8834 EarthSense is working in the UK with Coventry City Council to divert traffic away from heavily congested roads and pollution hotspots.

EarthSense’s air quality sensors are located in areas of the city where levels of nitrogen dioxide have been identified as high; particularly along the A4600 route at Walsgrave Road – a major link in and out of Coventry.

When pollution levels are breached, the sensors send alerts to the urban traffic management centre where they trigger messaging on variable message signs (VMS) which inform motorists and suggest alternative routes.

Shamala Evans, senior project manager at the council, says: “We’re taking early measures with the aim of encouraging motorists to make small changes to help reduce the pollution levels and traffic congestion before it’s too late and we’re forced to introduce chargeable clean air zones.”

Once the pollution levels have reached acceptable standards, the alerts are deactivated, and the VMS is removed.

John Seddon, the council’s head of transport & innovation, says: “The city council is keen to install the right technology across Coventry’s road network to allow us to dynamically manage traffic and respond to issues such as poor air quality or traffic incidents as soon as they happen.”

Related Content

  • February 12, 2016
    New LowCVP report: The Journey of the Green Bus
    A new report by the LowCVP for Greener Journeys describes The Journey of the Green Bus; how innovation and supportive policy over the last decade and more has transformed the bus sector from being a part of the problem to being an important part of the solution to poor urban air quality as well as contributing to tackling climate change.
    Read More
  • August 15, 2019
    USDoT’s NETT is welcome – but Toyota unhappy at V2X development
    The US Department of Transportation has announced a new council to champion emerging mobility tech – but one car manufacturer is currently not feeling that such support is everything it might be The announcement of a brand new body to champion autonomous vehicles (AVs) - among other innovations – is a potentially welcome development for mobility and transit providers. Elaine L. Chao, US secretary of transportation, says that the newly-created Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology (NETT)
    Read More
  • August 30, 2013
    Funding boost to cut pollution from local buses
    Towns and cities in England are set to benefit from US$7.7 million of funding to reduce pollution from local buses, Local Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced. A total of eleven local authorities have been awarded grants from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Clean Bus Technology Fund, which will allow almost 400 buses to be upgraded.
    Read More
  • April 12, 2013
    Active traffic management - challenges and benefits
    Minnesota DoT has built one of the most intensive Active Traffic Management (ATM) systems on the road today. Like many ITS deployments, the state has gained benefits but also faces many challenges, as Pete Goldin reports. Smart Lanes is the brand name of Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDoT) ATM system on I-35W in the Twin Cities Metro Area. The original system covered 16 miles of I-35W south of Minneapolis starting in 2009, and was extended by two miles in 2011. Additional ATM equipment was inst
    Read More

Highlighted Content