Dozens of smart sensors are set to be installed on Nottinghamshire roads to track traffic flow.
The move is part of Government funding given to Derby and Nottingham city councils to improve transport services and trial new “innovative transport solutions”.
As part of the project, Nottingham City Council has asked Nottinghamshire County Council for the approval of 63 smart sensors at 25 locations on Nottinghamshire-run highways.
The proposed sensors, located on lampposts, will help create a network to provide real-time traffic data for both motorists and the highway authority.
The technology has the ability to access, analyse, and download data from the sensor network in real-time as well as historical data. The sensors can count vehicle volume and distinguish between vehicle types.
“This data will help develop a better understanding of the effectiveness of the County’s highway network and also provide data in support of potential future improvements to it”, county council documents stated.
In 2019 the Department for Transport made funding available to eligible Transforming City Fund regions to bid to create four ‘Future Transport Zones’ which would improve the integration of existing transport services, whilst also trialling new innovative transport solutions.
Nottinghamshire County Council was not eligible to bid for the funding but Derby and Nottingham city councils submitted a successful bid for £16.7 million.
In 2020, Nottingham City Council approved the delivery of a programme to use the funding.
One part of the programme was for the creation of a data platform with live information feeds for improved management of the highway network and to keep drivers informed.
Nottingham City Council has commissioned VivaCity to install and manage and maintain the network of smart sensors for a five-year period.
The city council has also approached the County Council to request permission to install 63 smart sensors on County Council-owned lamp columns at 25 locations on the County Council’s managed highway.
It is proposed that the sensors will be installed during 2023/24.
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