Best Use of Best Use of Traffic Counting Traffic Counting

StationsStationsDavid C David C HamiltonHamiltonDatagen LtdDatagen Ltd

Viking Workshop Copenhagen Denmark 5 – 6 October 2005

IntroductionIntroduction Scottish Roads Traffic Database Scottish Roads Traffic Database

(SRTDb) holding the data from:(SRTDb) holding the data from: 1350 stations; including 350 ATC; 450 JTC1350 stations; including 350 ATC; 450 JTC Inductive loops Inductive loops Entire trunk road network (3400 km)Entire trunk road network (3400 km)

Presentation:Presentation: Old SpecificationOld Specification New SpecificationNew Specification Emerging MethodsEmerging Methods

Viking Workshop Copenhagen Denmark 5 – 6 October 2005

Old SpecificationOld Specification Single loop per traffic laneSingle loop per traffic lane – volumetric – volumetric

onlyonly CabinetCabinet CounterCounter Power source (battery or solar)Power source (battery or solar) Manual data retrievalManual data retrieval Cost = above plus traffic management at Cost = above plus traffic management at

installation (approx. £2,800 for 2 lanes)installation (approx. £2,800 for 2 lanes)

Viking Workshop Copenhagen Denmark 5 – 6 October 2005

New SpecificationNew Specification 2 loops 2 loops per per traffic lane traffic lane – speed and class– speed and class CabinetCabinet CounterCounter Power sourcePower source (solar or mains) (solar or mains) Retrieval by telemetry (land line or Retrieval by telemetry (land line or

mobile)mobile) Cost = approx. £3,300 for two lanes. Cost = approx. £3,300 for two lanes.

Paid back in one to two years due to Paid back in one to two years due to lower operational costs.lower operational costs.

Viking Workshop Copenhagen Denmark 5 – 6 October 2005

Benefits of NewBenefits of New Vehicle class (EUR 6) and speedVehicle class (EUR 6) and speed

Congestion monitoringCongestion monitoring Pseudo journey time dataPseudo journey time data

TelemetryTelemetry Faster identification of problemsFaster identification of problems Allows Vehicle by Vehicle data collectionAllows Vehicle by Vehicle data collection Power usage increasePower usage increase

Vehicle by Vehicle optionVehicle by Vehicle option Better fault diagnosisBetter fault diagnosis Improved data analysisImproved data analysis

Lower Operational CostsLower Operational Costs

Viking Workshop Copenhagen Denmark 5 – 6 October 2005

Vehicle by VehicleVehicle by Vehicle Date, Time, Lane, Direction, Speed Date, Time, Lane, Direction, Speed

and Class of every vehicleand Class of every vehicle Improved AnalysisImproved Analysis

PlatooningPlatooning Gap/Headway measurementsGap/Headway measurements

FlexibilityFlexibility DownsideDownside

StorageStorage Telemetry costs increaseTelemetry costs increase

Viking Workshop Copenhagen Denmark 5 – 6 October 2005

Emerging MethodsEmerging Methods Event MonitoringEvent Monitoring Live congestion monitoringLive congestion monitoring Incident detectionIncident detection Weather station data collectionWeather station data collection CCTV and still digital imagesCCTV and still digital images

Viking Workshop Copenhagen Denmark 5 – 6 October 2005

SummarySummary SpeedSpeed : safety analysis, congestion : safety analysis, congestion

monitoring and event monitoringmonitoring and event monitoring TelemetryTelemetry : reduced operational costs, : reduced operational costs,

improved fault identification and, VBV improved fault identification and, VBV feasiblefeasible

VBVVBV : gap/headway analysis, user- : gap/headway analysis, user-specified speed analysis and improved specified speed analysis and improved diagnosticsdiagnostics

Cost of installation - little changeCost of installation - little change

Viking Workshop Copenhagen Denmark 5 – 6 October 2005

Best PracticeBest Practice When installing a loop site, ensure When installing a loop site, ensure

that the infrastructure – loops, that the infrastructure – loops, cabinet, power source – are to a basic cabinet, power source – are to a basic standard capable of speed and class standard capable of speed and class data collection. Consider VBV data data collection. Consider VBV data collection and telemetry too.collection and telemetry too. Priority 1 = 2 loopsPriority 1 = 2 loops Priority 2 = telemetryPriority 2 = telemetry Priority 3 = VBVPriority 3 = VBV

This is not just a local best practice.This is not just a local best practice.

Viking Workshop Copenhagen Denmark 5 – 6 October 2005