The 17th JCT Traffic Signal Symposium & Exhibition

This page provides archive information on the 2012 Symposium.

For this year's Symposium, please click here

The 2012 Symposium was held at The University of Warwick on the 20th and 21st of September 2012. The format of the event was the same as in previous years and included a Symposium programme filled with topical presentations, a specialist Exhibition, and plenty of opportunities to catch up with old friends and colleagues and network with new contacts.

We would like to thank all delegates, exhibitors and especially speakers for once again making the Symposium a success and the major event in the traffic signals year.

The MOVA User Group was also be held at the University on Wednesday 19th September.

Overview

The JCT Symposium & Exhibition started in 1996 as a way to bring traffic signal practitioners together with manufacturers and to maintain a sense of community amongst signals engineers. It is intended to run as an affordable conference that is accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of experience and that encourages the exchange of knowledge, experience and good practice. Over the past few years, the symposium has consolidated its position as the UK's best conference event for traffic signals.

The Symposium & Exhibition runs over two days, and is usually preceded by the MOVA user group. It mixes conference style papers, the principal manufacturers, networking opportunities and organised social events in the evening. As far as content goes, the emphasis is on the signals community itself and JCT seeks submission of papers and presentations from working signal engineers, manufacturers and suppliers. But the broad appeal of the programme means that papers are also welcome from policy makers, interest groups, and academics. If you would like to share your experience with the signals community then please let us know and we will do everything we can to help you including subsidising attendance at this event.

A selection of Photographs of the Symposium are available on our Gallery page.

JSTSM Prizes 2012

As regular Symposium attendees will know JSTSM sponsor prizes each year for the papers presented. The prizes are awarded by a panel of eminent traffic signal professionals

This years prizes were awarded as follows:

• Overall Best Paper - An approach to modelling road networks for air quality management, James O'Brien, Newcastle University. The paper was interesting, well presented, caught the attention of the delegates and adds yet another dimension to UTC/SCOOT control methodology.
• First paper to arrive at JCT - Using UTC SCOOT multi-nodes to reduce pedestrian delay at dual crossings in Bristol, Jackie Davies, Bristol City Council. However the judging panel thought the paper was well presented and the content worthy of further mention as it utilised existing facilities at low cost to excellent effect working to encourage pedestrians increasing modal shift without increasing traffic delay. It was presented by an enthusiastic Engineer at the beginning of her career showing great potential for the future.
• For the liveliest post paper discussion - Modelling Merging Lanes at Signalled Junctions - The Problem and the Solution?, Christopher Kennett, Cambridgeshire County Council. There was a lively post paper discussion and encouragement to consider further analysis to determine the effect of merging on junction capacity. His delivery, content and ability was worthy of a prize.
• Most Thought provoking paper - Traffic control and route choice; modelling and optimisation, Mike Smith, York University Although he was using statistical maths to make his point his method of delivery made the subject understandable and described counter intuitive methods to make a network more efficient.

2012 Symposium Papers

The programme of papers for 2012 was as follows:

Where authors have provided permission papers can be downloaded by clicking on the download links.

Keynote Address
Norman Baker MP, Transport Minister

Traffic signals – a road users perspective
Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research, Institute Advanced Motorists

Medal winning traffic signals
Glynn Barton, Transport for London

Traffic Technology for Troubled Times - How current economic and environmental developments may shape the development of traffic engineering.
Peter Bull, Independent
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Traffic control and route choice: modelling and optimisation
Mike Smith, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of York
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Modelling Merging Lanes at Signalled Junctions. The Problem and the Solution?
Christopher Kennett, Cambridgeshire County Council
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Using SCOOT multi-nodes to reduce pedestrian delay at dual crossings in Bristol.
Jackie Davies, Bristol City Council
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A case study into reducing the queues in Barnsley through innovative UTMC integration
Mark Bodger, Siemens

Adding a 'little' extra intelligence at the roadside
Martin Wylie - East Sussex County Council
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'Join the Resolution' – Any Sign Will Do!
Glynn Hutton,VMS
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A new approach to Traffic Signals and ITS equipment maintenance in York
Peter Routledge, IRC & Darren Capes, City of York
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Effective single stream MOVA control of roundabouts: the micro-stage control strategy
Lee Templeman, Halcrow
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Improving signal design and implementation by better communications with planners, civil engineers and the wider engineering community.
Ian Routledge, IRC Consultancy
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Open Protocols & Open Platforms
Mark Pleydell, telent
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Simplified Single Stream MOVA at small to medium ICD signalised roundabouts
Richard Bishop, Associate, White Young Green
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Responsive roundabouts - clearly better solutions
Andy Poole, WSP
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Bringing European developments and ideas to the UK transport market
Peek

Remote monitoring for the next generation of signal controllers
Iain Ross, Motus Traffic
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The Cardiff Modelling Suite – Innovative Solutions for a Dynamic City
George Lunt, AECOM
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The practical experiences of 3G UTMC communications in Slough
Keith Manston, Siemens

Opportunities and benefits of Wide Area Networks - The Buckinghamshire UTMC Project
Errol Allen, Buckinghamshire County Council

An approach to modelling road networks for air quality management
James O’Brien – Newcastle University
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Exhibition

The Symposium has had a parallel exhibition for many years and this year the additional exhibition space at Warwick meant the exhibition was bigger and better than ever. As in previous years the exhibition included stands for most of the key companies in the traffic signals field and entry was free for Symposium delegates.

Exhibitors for 2012 included:

AGD Aldridge Traffic CA Traffic Clearview Traffic Highways Magazine ICOMS IDS IDT IT4 IHE

JCT Consultancy Ltd Key Traffic Systems Lochwynd Motus NAL NOW Wireless Peek Radix Traffic RTEM Sapa Pole Products

Siemens Swarco Traffic TDC Systems TEC Magazine telent Traficon TRL VMS Westcotec Wireless CCTV

Event Sponsors

As in previous years the Symposium is generously sponsored by several major companies from the traffic control industry.

For 2012 Sponsors included:

• Gala Dinner (Thurs Eve)- Siemens
• Brian's BBQ (Weds eve) - JCT and Swarco Traffic
• Evening Social/Networking on Wed and Thu - NAL, Peek, Motus, VMS, JCT
• Exhibition Treasure Hunt - Institute of Highway Engineers
• Gala Dinner competition - Westcotec
• Delegate Bags - TEC Magazine
• Brian Simmonite Award - JCT Consultancy & TEC

Venue

2012 saw the Symposium at The University of Warwick for a second year. This popular conference venue provided us with all the facilities we needed for the presentations, the exhibition, on-site overnight accommodation and networking/social events.

The University is located centrally within the UK just south of Coventry and has good transport links with the rest of the country being only a few minutes from the M6 and railway stations. For international visitors Birmingham airport is only 10 miles away.

Further Information

If you would like any further information regarding the Symposium or Exhibition please don't hesitate to contact us at symposium@jctconsultancy.co.uk.