TRL announces tool to predict incident response consequences

TRL has formally launched its latest software product to help keep the UK's roads moving when an incident or planned event threatens to create significant congestion. TEST - Tool for Evaluating Strategies for Traffic - has been developed for operators of traffic control centres to predict the consequences of actions they undertake on their network, in response to an incident.Incidents, events and road works all have the potential to impact traffic patterns and flows and can often cause significant congestio
May 1, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
777 TRL has formally launched its latest software product to help keep the UK’s roads moving when an incident or planned event threatens to create significant congestion. TEST – Tool for Evaluating Strategies for Traffic – has been developed for operators of traffic control centres to predict the consequences of actions they undertake on their network, in response to an incident.

Incidents, events and road works all have the potential to impact traffic patterns and flows and can often cause significant congestion and delay to the travelling public. Under the UK’s Traffic Management Act (TMA) 2004, Part 2, Local Highway Authorities (LHAs) are required to expand their existing planning beyond managing traffic on their own road network, to assessing the potential impact of any traffic management plans on neighbouring LHAs’ networks as well.

Uniquely, TEST uses traffic 5271 PTV’s Vissim micro-simulation package integrated with real time signal control mechanisms such as Scoot (Split Cycle and Offset Optimisation Technique)  and Mova (Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation) to evaluate signal strategies, the only tool of its type to do so.

This enables operators to plan for events by asking “What if?” questions of the software. For example: “What if next time a vehicle breaks down in this stretch of one-way road, I change the signals to allow more green time?” The software allows different signal settings to be trialled and comparison of the results of different strategies to be viewed. In this way, operators can decide upon an effective strategy for an event and export this onto the street the next time such an event occurs.

TRL says the benefits of using TEST are many.  Operational efficiencies can be gained by testing offline multiple options for routes, lane closures and traffic signal plans prior to a planned event; or through the testing of new signalised junctions prior to their installation. This ensures the optimal, right first time operation of the junction at the implementation phase. It reduces bedding in times and allows road users to realise the benefits from the outset.

Importantly, TRL points out that TEST has been designed based on open architecture standards, is user friendly, with users needing no previous micro-simulation experience to work with the tool.
Highway & Network Management

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Boost to infrastructure, autonomous cars in UK budget
    March 17, 2016
    The UK chancellor announced in his spring budget what he called the biggest investment, US$87.5 billion (£61 billion), in transport infrastructure in generations and is increasing capital investment in the transport network by 50 per cent over this Parliament compared to the last. The government plans to establish the UK as a global centre for excellence in connected and autonomous vehicles by establishing a US$24.1 million (£15 million) ‘connected corridor’ from London to Dover to enable vehicles to com
    Read More
  • Researching vehicle tyre safety
    February 15, 2012
    For the last two years a team of European partners has been examining the interaction between vehicle tyres and road surfaces. According to the UK's TRL, one of the partners in the European project Tyrosafe (Tyre and Road Surface Optimisation for Skid resistance And Further Effects), devices to measure skid resistance were developed at the forerunner of the UK's TRL in the 1930s.
    Read More
  • Highways: environmental problem or environmental enhancement?
    March 21, 2016
    Highways need not be a blight on the countryside that many people, urban planners included, believe they will always be. By Bram Miller, director, and Martin Broderick, environmental consultant, at Ramboll Environ While the world’s highway networks bring undoubted economic and social benefits, they are generally perceived to lead to negative environmental impacts. Some may consider this an unfair reputation, but it is difficult to argue that in the majority of cases both the construction and operation of
    Read More
  • The UK Highways Agency engages Fugro for Doppler laser surveying
    January 6, 2015
    The United Kingdom’s Highways Agency has awarded its first commercial contract to survey thousands of road lanes using sophisticated Doppler laser equipment. Fugro is driving the project forward, reports David Arminas The Highways Agency Traffic Speed Defelectometer vehicle looks like an ordinary flatbed truck delivering a similarly ordinary steel shipping container. But looks are deceiving. Inside the container is a sophisticated Doppler laser measuring system collecting pavement condition data of the U
    Read More

Highlighted Content