Satellites may help keep traffic flowing
Space technology could be used to help tackle traffic congestion on the roads and pollution.
The University of Leicester and city council are leading a £2.4 million project looking at ways to keep traffic flowing smoothly in towns and cities.
Satellites will monitor major routes in Leicester and traffic patterns will be matched to air quality measurements.
The data will then be fed into computers and traffic light sequences altered to keep vehicles moving as much as possible.
More than 70 delegates – including politicians, scientists, highway officers and town planners – gathered at the National Space Centre, in Belgrave, on Wednesday, for the launch of the project.
Councillor Rory Palmer, deputy city mayor and cabinet lead on transport and climate change, said: "Making Leicester a low-carbon city is one of our main priorities.
"This kind of research will be essential to helping tackle issues around congestion and air quality in the future."
Professor Alan Wells, of the University of Leicester's Space Research Centre, said the aim was to "draw on the strengths of industry and academics" to make a difference to the quality of people's lives.
Other organisations involved include De Montfort University and Astrium Services (Leicester).
4 Comments
by Neil0123
Saturday, January 21 2012, 6:59PM
“The removal of countless traffic "schemes" would be a far cheaper way to start traffic moving more freely round Leicester. The Council are ALWAYS tinkering with one of the major routes into town - with no apparant difference after the months of delays have ceased.”
by TheRutlandFox
Saturday, January 21 2012, 9:36AM
“Beggars belief
You dont need to spend millions to work out what is going on. Its is all due to crass planning of the lights and phasing to make it as hard as possible to drive into the city. Just get the expert knowledge of local drivers who will tell you which lights are wrong
Another really great feature which could be brought in and save fuel would be countdown timer dipslays on lights to show drivers how long before their light goes green. This would allow drivers judge when to turn their engines off knowing when they need to turn them on again
Come on Leicestere lets be a first”
by jonger
Friday, January 20 2012, 2:46PM
“Quite right Graham
It also reverses Leicester's old stated policy of making it more difficult for cars to travel into the city in a bid to discourage car use - so all the road alterations carried out over the last 10-15 years need removing to make the traffic flow easily, the latest being the Highcross street / Great Central street "improvements" that added two extra sets of traffic lights and a loop to what was a straight road to "improve traffic flow".”
by Graham_LE8
Friday, January 20 2012, 12:01PM
“Quote: "Satellites will monitor major routes in Leicester and traffic patterns will be matched to air quality measurements. The data will then be fed into computers and traffic light sequences altered to keep vehicles moving as much as possible"...
So the prospective removal of a major flyover, with all the resultant extra hold-ups on the roundabout) won't adversely affect traffic flow in that area then, or increase pollution?...
It's no wonder our transport strategy doesn't make sense, when there are such opposing policies being simultaneously pursued...”