Everything that you need to know about 5G but didn't know what to ask
Peter Simm - Mobius Networks

Using mobile data has been fraught with difficulties over the years for UTMC applications. With few success stories.

However, the world has just got more complicated and more dangerous with cyber-attacks on the increase, and a plethora of new methods to communicate with remote devices over the Mobile networks, based around the 5G standards.

A basic understanding of what is going to happen to the mobile network in the next 12 months and what's planned for the next 20 years. Would be a good starting point for everyone who is considering upgrading any kind of traffic system within those time scales.

Armed with the right set of questions for suppliers, you can transform the odds of delivering a successful project massively.

Five Second Minimum Green: Times they are a changin'
Christopher Blucke & Jennifer Treen - TfL

Following the release of TSM Chapter 6, the minimum green to a full green traffic phase can be reduced to 5 seconds at sites with very low flows. TfL has undertaken on-street trials to assess the impact and benefit of reducing this minimum to 5 seconds with a focus on safety, user behaviour and performance at 12 signalised junctions. Both pedal cycle only and mixed road traffic phases were selected for the trial, phases which were typically signalised exits from private dwellings, businesses or parks and appeared in their own demand-dependant stage.

Before and after surveys using camera footage have provided evidence of the impacts of reducing the minimum green time and to provide proof of concept. This evidence has permitted a wider range of sites to be selected and design guidance produced, which outlines criteria for site selection.

The benefits of lowering the minimum full green to a traffic phase has been measured in relation to the ability for the junction to re-balance the additional green time to busy approaches, specifically those with bus routes on to improve their performance. Additionally, reducing the minimum green provides an opportunity for a lower cycle time at some sites which can assist with pedestrian wait time.

The Carbon Conundrum - How do we further improve the environmental credentials of our signal installations?
Alistair Gollop - Mott MacDonald

Over the past decade, the traffic systems manufacturers have made great strides in reducing the energy consumption of traffic systems, the switch to modern electronics and LEDs has had a marked impact on electrical consumption of installations. However, in the coming few years, we will need to continue to reduce the environmental impact of our installations to a level that aligns with the goals set in the COP26 Glasgow Climate Pact in November last year.

To achieve this, a re-evaluation of the requirements for installations will need to balance the benefits of safety and efficiency against the impact these systems have on our planet. As part of this process, we will need to assess if the level of equipment provision for sites is necessary, do we need to include all the facilities we have grown to expect at different types of sites?

In addition to the equipment we specify, the way in which the civil’s elements of installations are constructed needs to be updated to ensure the maximum benefit is achieved, so as well as reducing the level of embodied carbon in the construction process, making sure that the sub-surface elements are well built and flexible will provide more benefit by extending their expected service life well beyond the expectancy for the equipment above ground.

Finally, the operation of our systems will need to evolve to cater more effectively with active transport modes whilst also considering the effect that the evolution of connected vehicles will have on our highways.

Through-about and double-through-about junctions
Jonathan Flynn - National Highways, Deepa Varma - WSP

A paper on the design, installation and maintenance of traffic signals on through-about and double-through-about junctions.

A collaborative approach + Smart Technology = safer active travel infrastructure and less congestion as part of a strategic corridor project.
Peter Cattell - Clearview Intelligence, Sean Higgins - Hull City Council

This paper will look at how collaborative working and the use of intelligent technology is enhancing safety for cyclists and pedestrians whilst also reducing congestion, and therefore improving air quality along the Stoneferry Corridor in Hull.

As part of this first of its kind (in the city) multi-million-pound project, headed by Colas, Clearview, alongside Hull City Council, identified specific problems, and designed, installed and commissioned advanced technology solutions that include cycle detection through its Connex Active Cycle & Pedestrian Counter-Classifier, hazard warning through intelligent road studs and VMS to improve safety for cyclists by advising and informing all road users of potential hazards at specific junctions along the corridor.

Smart radar - upgrading the technology on Lincoln Road Newark
Peter Eccleson - Smart Video and Sensing

Lincoln Road is a main arterial route between Newark Town Centre and the A1 to the east and has an Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of 18,300 vehicles. MOVA loop detection would have required ducting installing on the bridge close to the railway and the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE, considered undesirable and to be avoided. A decision was made to use magnetometers but experience with the studs following installation was mixed, with issues of lost communications (stud, repeater and access point failures)and linked to poor battery life.

The smartmicro™ radar offers all the advantages of other brands (pole mounted, no cutting into carriageway, no ducting) whilst being able to cover multiple lanes on an approach from a single radar unit. The addition of the data collection capability from the SVS Novus data aggregator provided an added bonus. This cost-effective solution was chosen to be the ideal replacement for the failing magnetometers and Novus was added for site data collection.

Tall Tales: Poles, Heads and Arms
Phil Shoobridge - Jacobs

Following Chris Kennett’s impassioned plea to stop what he perceived as the proliferation of tall poles, when he became the inaugural ranter on the 2021 Symposium’s Soap Box and encountering various degrees of high-level traffic signal head adoption from local authorities in my career, this paper ventures into territory well clear of the usual debates around SCOOT versus MOVA, which modelling software package to use, far-side or nearside, or even can you replace a loop?

Instead it looks at the fundamental conundrum of Do You Know Where You Can Stick Your Head?

GLOSA in Manchester as part of an immersive national IVS system
George Brown - KL Systems

This paper describes the development and deployment of a practical GLOSA deployment at Radcliffe in Manchester using a second-by-second open data feed from a TRL/TfGM SCOOT 7 system. The SCOOT data was used to define traffic light objects in a cloud based In-Vehicle Signage (IVS) system alongside Virtual and physical VMS from National and local traffic authorities, roadworks providers and others in the UK creating a unified IVS driving experience.

Delivery in the car was via a downloadable smartphone app linked to a vehicles integrated head unit using Android Auto.

Is it time to MOVe-Aside and make way for the next generation of Signal Control?
Matt Shaw - Vivacity Labs

Last year Vivacity presented the first results for its groundbreaking Smart Junctions pilot project in Manchester. However, as a new product we wanted to take on one of the best control systems in the UK market - MOVA - in as fair and unbiased a trial as we could. Therefore in this presentation we will be presenting a comparison between the two systems where an industry expert will be evaluating our performance against MOVA.

Conceptualising the next generation of Intelligent Traffic Signage
Stewart Hill - TWM

This paper looks at the design concepts and vision applied to the development of next generation of Traffic Signage. Looking at utilisation, standardisation and modularity and applying it in novel ways to achieve new outcomes. It lays down the design principles and the design process associated with a new blue-sky development of traffic signage.

This paper takes an in-depth look at the latest technology that can be applied to signage and how this can be shown to be a benefit to Road Users, and Road Owners, driving down costs, increasing availability and utilisation, while ensuring accurate information can be delivered simply.

Decarbonising Networks one step and pedal at a time
Gavin Jackman - City Science

City Science mission is to help cities and neighbourhoods decarbonise and have successfully developed and delivered LCWIPS for numerous authorities around the UK.

LCWIPS = Local Cycling and Walking Implementation plans.

This presentation will explain the data driven science process we go through to develop and create a LCWIP and talk about one of our projects as a case study. LCWIPS are becoming an important tool that can be used in prioritising and focusing investment in walking and cycling. A successful LCWIP can be the heart of allocating investment into these sustainable modes of transport in a defensible strategic way and allows for greater decision making in the procurement of sustainable transport infrastructure and ITS.

Live Labs project, addresses air quality challenges using artificial intelligence
Emily Madsen - Staffordshire County Council, Paul Hudson - Now Wireless

Staffordshire County Council (SCC) won funding to take part in the live labs project, funded by the DFT. They worked alongside Amey, Keele University and the Connected Places Catapult. Over 130 SMEs submitted applications to address mobility and air quality challenges. Colleagues from across the organisations worked together to select 10 projects.

Now Wireless were a successful SME to aid the reduction in air quality, outside a care home on the inner ring road of Newcastle-Under-Lyme. They proposed to use artificial intelligence to predict pollution an hour ahead of time. The results implemented special plans into SCC’s TMS system. The plans enabled traffic to be gated outside the town centre, to reduce pollution in the town centre. This paper will explain the detail of the delivery of the project, highlight the results of a positive reduction in air quality and explain how SCC plan to implement this in other towns within Staffordshire.

I told you so: The second coming of UTMC
Shailesh Mistry - Swarco

Awaiting Synopsis

Minimising Delays During Junction Improvements: Portable or Temporary Signals?
Gordon Stitt - SRL, Spencer Wilson & Martha Hoskins - Red Wilson Associates

This paper looks at the junction capacity implications of using portable vs temporary signals under UTC control when undertaking junction improvement works. LinSig and VISSIM have been used to demonstrate the benefit of introducing temporary signals at more complex junctions by comparing capacity, journey times, delay, and queueing. Further analysis has been undertaken across a sample of some 20 junctions. This analysis provides a guide that will allow an Authority or client to determine the likely capacity implications of choosing one system over another dependent on junction type. It can form one input into the decision-making process which will also include, strategic importance of location, duration of works and costs.

Using Cloud-Based Software, leveraging high fidelity GPS 'Trajectory' Data to identify and understand signal performance network wide
Martin Rodgers & Dominic Paulo - INRIX

This presentation will highlight how cloud-based software, using GPS trajectory data can be used to discern which locations are operating "normally" and to identify areas of concern to begin troubleshooting for optimal performance in the context of current policy, be those issues with current timing plans, maintenance-based activities, etc.

Using AI to support traffic control systems
Robert Whiteside & David Clegg - Kirklees council, Keith McCabe & Professor Lee McCluskey - Simplifai Systems, and Mauro Vallati - University of Huddersfield

This paper is based on the experience of deployment of an AI based traffic control support system in Kirklees. It will outline the challenges and opportunities created by introducing a new form of traffic control based on the Simplifai control approach. The points that will be covered will be:

• How to create an AI readable digital twin for traffic control
• How to set a goal for traffic control and can be understood by machines
• The skills needed to use new control techniques
• The outcomes from the deployment in Kirklees

Prioritising Active Travel through next generation data
Eliza Moyse - ngenius.ai, Alex Cliff - Norfolk County Council

ngenius.ai are a start-up based in Norwich (at the University of East Anglia/Norwich Research Park) deploying cutting-edge AI which uses existing CCTV infrastructure to provide local authorities and highways authorities meaningful, accurate, real-time data to measure the way that the transport network operates.

As well as our 24/7 connected camera model, they also provide local authorities/highways authorities with a 'temporary survey' model which replaces traditional manual surveys with a more accurate and more affordable alternative to their current providers. They will present a Case study on Norfolk County Council – measuring the proof of success of a scheme to improve cycle and pedestrian crossing infrastructure and prioritise active travel modes at a signalled junction.

Is my signal design reasonable? Using different model outputs to enhance scheme designs
Adam Greenland & Lucy Beeston - TfL

Since 2016 TfL and London boroughs have, collectively, added 250km of new cycle routes. As we know, designing additional protected facilities for vulnerable users at signalised junctions is often difficult and complex as introducing additional conflicting phases reduces the capacity of junctions for other modes.

Last year at JCT, TfL presented the 4th version of our Traffic Modelling Guidelines and our presentation this year will focus on the scheme assessment section, specifically how model outputs from different platforms can help deliver optimised signal designs that work for all modes. Adam Greenland will present three examples from schemes that have been designed, showing how he has used model outputs to optimise phases and stages. Lucy Beeston, will then give a further update from a modelling guidelines perspective, giving an overview of the revised Model Audit Process (MAP) which includes several new and exciting developments.

AI Incident Detection with minimal input and infrastructure
James Daniels & Carles Illera - Aimsun

This paper will describe how Aimsun are using existing infrastructure to provide incident detection and network wide data insights using data science and AI.

CYCLOPS Junction Design - Real Life Worked Examples
TBC - TfGM

In 2018, TfGM presented the "CYCLOPS - Creating Protected Junctions" paper at the JCT Symposium. Through this paper TfGM shared the concept of CYCLOPS - a design technique created by TfGM engineers that protects cyclists by providing an external orbital cycle route, separating cyclists from general traffic in space or time at traffic signal junctions. Since 2018, the concept has been brought to life with numerous CYCLOPS junctions either built or in development in Greater Manchester and further afield.

In 2022, this paper "CYCLOPS Junction Design – Real Life Worked Examples" aims to build on the original concept paper by exploring the design methodology and actions taken when utilising the CYCLOPS design technique on an existing traffic signal junction.

Using real life examples, the paper will provide an insight into the role of the Design Engineer in achieving the Client"s brief to provide new and improved walking and cycling facilities; dedicated cycle phases segregated from carriageway traffic and pedestrians; and minimised impact on delay/capacity to current traffic flows through the junction.

The aspects considered within the paper include junction modelling, 2D geometrical design and signal & ducting design.

Rethinking approaches to adaptive control - a FUSION update from Yunex Traffic
Dr Andrew Hamilton - Yunex Traffic

Dr Andy Hamilton will provide an update on the development of FUSION - the company's policy driven traffic management and adaptive control solution that is being developed and tested with Transport for London. Andy will share the latest development status and provide further performance results and insights following the most recent deployments in London.

Enhancing vehicle perception using V2X communication
Jack Durdle - Yunex Traffic

Yunex Traffic's Jack Durdle reviews how connected and autonomous approaches can work together to improve road safety and potentially empower self driving vehicles to operate in challenging, safety critical and real-world conditions. Sharing insights from the AutopleX project and recent demonstration at junction 15 of the M40, Jack considers how using connected infrastructure and V2X communications can help enhance a vehicle’s understanding of its surroundings through 'cooperative perception' and ultimately help to navigate complex junctions without driver input.

Optimising Pedestrian Crossings - The Role of Pedestrian Detection
Andrew Caleya Chetty - Starling Technologies

Drawing on experience from an on-going trials, this paper reviews what is available to traffic engineers to get the best from their pedestrian crossings under challenging and unpredictable levels of demand. It also considers metrics for pedestrians and the impact of optimisation on active travel.

Bringing colleagues together through UTMC
Sam Brierley - Swarco, David Hilton Barber - Derbyshire County Council

Awaiting Synopsis