News

New traffic forecasts from the Department for Transport underlined the need for greater investment to improve the condition of the UK’s road network. The Road Traffic Forecasts 2015 predicts that levels of traffic will increase on motorways and major roads by up to 60 per cent in 2040 compared with 2010 levels. For principal roads the increase from 2010 to 2040 could be as high as 51% and for minor roads the prediction is up to 54 per cent. Car ownership is predicted to increase from 25 million in 2010 to 3

A new pilot program recently launched by South-eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) will audibly warn pedestrians in the vicinity of a bus when the vehicle is making a turn. The Safe Turn Alert System pilot is an extension of the Authority's distracted commuter awareness program and designed to warn pedestrians, specifically those engrossed in phone calls, text messages and music that the bus is turning. Protran's Safe Turn Alert Systems have been installed in 12 SEPTA buses for the pilot p

Cubic Transportation Systems and Transport for London’s (TfL) contactless bankcard payment system are the proud recipients of two prestigious awards for Outstanding Project at the 2015 UK Rail Industry Awards, followed by Most Innovative Transport Project at the London Transport Awards. Launched in 2012, the contactless bankcard system was extended in 2014 to cover London’s entire transit network – including Tube, rail, and bus and tram services. The success of the contactless payment project in London is b

Sensys Traffic has received an order from the Swedish Transport Administration for installation works for the Swedish automatic traffic safety control (ATC) system. Worth US$575,000, the order comprises additional installation works and installation material and is an extension of Sensys' services in connection with the installation of new ATC stations in Sweden in 2015. Sensys won an order for new and replacement systems and cabinets worth SEK 93m in November 2014, and an additional order for installation

It would cost nearly US$1 billion to build a 260 kilometre rail line connecting cities in northern Colombia, according to a study by the Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla. The proposed rail corridor would link Santa Marta, Barranquilla and Cartagena, which are home to the three biggest ports on the country's Caribbean coast. The train would function as a mixed service line, transporting passengers as well as cargo. "Some details need to be worked out regarding funding sources, which depends more on the

The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has been asked by Transport for London (TfL) to improve the understanding of how HGV operations are carried out in London, and why this group of vehicles is currently over-represented in accidents. HGVs, their drivers and operators are frequently in the news following involvement in accidents, particularly in London and particularly involving vulnerable road users. TRL is conducting research with HGV owners, drivers and business leaders to learn first-hand the in

In a letter to Congress, the American Trucking Association (ATA) and a coalition of 37 other organisations has warned about the dangers of devolving the federal highway program and urged passage of a robust, long-term highway bill that secures the federal role in transportation. In the letter, ATA and its allies told Congress they strongly oppose devolution proposals such as the Transportation Empowerment Act (TEA), previously introduced and considered in the 113th Congress. They say TEA is an ill-conceive

Thales has been awarded a five-year maintenance contract for the world’s longest driverless metro network, in Dubai, UAE. This new contract follows the implementation by Thales of its driverless metro packaged solution on the Red and Green Lines of the Dubai metro. Thales’s service solutions include remote on-site support and corrective maintenance ensuring system knowledge and recovery. The team will deliver efficient, competitive and sustainable services while ensuring the highest levels of passenger safe

Siemens is to provide Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (SOSBC) in the UK with a new hosted traffic management service operating real-time urban traffic control (UTC) including SCOOT adaptive control. The new seven year contract will see the migration of the current system to a new hosted Stratos solution to control traffic signal equipment across the town at 50 junctions and pedestrian crossings. Hosted UTC-SCOOT removes the need for local authorities to maintain their own office-based hardware and brings be

Transport for London (TfL) claims to be the fastest growing contactless Visa merchant in Europe and the UK for Mastercard and American Express just six months after it was launched on London Underground, tram, DLR, London Overground, buses and most National Rail services in London. The world leading technology is now being used by millions of customers, providing them with easier and more convenient journeys. Customers using contactless pay the same adult-rate pay as you go fare as Oyster and benefit from h

A Freight Transport Association (FTA) survey has revealed that congestion on UK roads is at the worst it has been for over ten years. FTA’s Quarterly Transport Activity Survey (QTAS) illustrated the rate of deterioration in reliability on the road network at 55 per cent, which is the lowest it has been since 2002, due to increased traffic in the run-up to Christmas. The results from the survey of over 100 logistics operators are seen as an indication of the impact of the increase in domestic road freight ac

Dynamic message signs (DMS) supplier SES America was recently named winner in the Overall Excellence for Manufacturers category of Providence Business News’ 2015 Manufacturing Awards Program. The company was recognised for its accomplishments and commitment to manufacturing success in the Rhode Island. “The entire SESA team is proud to take part in what the media calls the ‘renaissance in American manufacturing’ and to be recognised for our overall performance,” said Philippe Perut, president of SES America

Iteris and Wavetronix have announced an agreement to settle patent infringement litigation filed by Wavetronix against Iteris. As part of that settlement, Iteris has agreed to remove the continuous mode feature from its Vantage Vector product, and the parties have dismissed their respective claims. Neither party admits liability and the remaining terms of the resolution are confidential.

UK automotive company Delphi Automotive will demonstrate the full capabilities of its active safety technologies with the longest automated drive ever attempted in North America. The coast-to-coast trip will launch near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on 22 March and will cover approximately 3,500 miles, finishing in New York. The journey will allow Delphi engineers to gather critical data and further advance the company’s active safety technology development in this rapidly growing segment of the a

In its efforts to enhance road safety and improve traffic flow, the Department of Transport (DoT) in Abu Dhabi has introduced an intelligent traffic control system at all signalised intersections of Mohammed bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi. The project, which completed its deployment phases recently, involved installing intelligent and integrated traffic/pedestrian signals as well as a traffic video surveillance system in the 40 intersections of Mohammed bin Zayed City.