ITS 'can help tackle road congestion'

Date: 28/11/2011

Cooperation between local authorities would make intelligent traffic management systems more effective, it has been suggested.

Responding to a report by the Transport Select Committee, the Department for Transport (DfT) explained this technology could be an important tool in the bid to tackle issues such as congestion on the UK's roads.

The DfT has invested money into the development and introduction of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), although it did note there are other available methods of meeting current traffic challenges.

According to the body, local governments and highway authorities are in a better position to decide where ITS solutions should be implemented to ensure they are as effective as possible.

The document stated the "main role of central government should be to enable and encourage industry-led innovation and development, through incentivisation and the removal of potential barriers."

Earlier this autumn, TRL launched TEST (Tool for Evaluating Strategies for Traffic). TEST not only helps local highway authorities predict consequences of actions they undertake on their networks in response to an incident, but also allows them to assess the potential impact of their plans on neighbouring local authority networks.  

Posted by Mary Treen