New traffic management research project bids to improve air quality

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A new part Government-funded research project is aiming to help transport chiefs improve air quality by managing traffic flows on Greater Manchester’s roads more effectively.

The year-long SimplifAI project will explore how Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) Urban Traffic Control team can benefit from the collection of extra data, including average traffic speed, wind speed, temperature, nitrogen dioxide emissions and route geography, to increase traffic flows in real time, minimise delays and reduce air-borne pollution.

Running until September 2016, the project could ultimately allow TfGM and other transport authorities across the UK to give live air quality information to road users such as cyclists and introduce automated traffic flow management.

Once complete, the project will be subject to review and a decision will be taken on how the findings can influence and improve future traffic management strategies, both in Manchester and across the country.

TfGM’s Head of Highways, Peter Molyneux, said: “Congestion is a significant contributor to air pollution in Greater Manchester and we’re committed to developing new ways of managing the roads to improve air quality across the region.

“This project should help us to plan better and make better-informed, real-time decisions when balancing traffic flows on the network or tackling issues such as road closures or major incidents.

“Ultimately, it could form an important part of our work to keep traffic moving in Greater Manchester, which is essential to the strength of the regional economy and the well-being of our communities.”

The project is being delivered by TfGM, research and development consultancy KAM Futures, the University of Huddersfield, BT and system solutions company INFOHUB.

It is being funded by a grant of nearly £160,000 from Innovate UK, an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills as well as the Natural Environment Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council.

The grant was awarded as part of a competition, entitled ‘Solving Urban Challenges with Data’, launched earlier this year.

The purpose of the competition was to offer investment in innovative, commercial solutions to increase the resilience, quality of life or economic performance of urban areas by integrating environmental, social and economic data with data from other sources.