Accurate traffic surveys could help reduce business losses
A huge amount of money is lost by UK businesses every year because of congestion on the roads, according to research by a specialist vehicle hire company.
Northgate Vehicle Hire found that most congestion occurred because of temporary speed limits or long-standing roadworks; either by utility companies or highways agencies. It’s thought that drivers spend around 32 hours per year on average in traffic jams, and those who drive for a living, like road haulage workers or delivery drivers, spend considerably more time at a standstill.
At the same time, our roads are expected to bear the burden of more traffic, with government figures suggesting that traffic levels could increase by more than 50% in the next 20 years. Even with the advent of electric vehicles, which will certainly reduce pollution levels, the weight of traffic on UK roads is only going to grow – and the road infrastructure must be able to handle it.
How can traffic surveys help?
Understanding how traffic uses the road system gives decision makers clear and reliable information on which to make plans for the future. Both traffic surveys, automatic traffic counts and journey time surveys provide valuable data that lets highways specialists see which times and routes are the busiest. This in turn will help to inform decisions on roads that need widening, on traffic calming or traffic management measures. It can also help when agencies are planning roadworks or repairs – all too often work is being carried out on major routes at the same time, meaning that there is no easy route for traffic in the area.
Congestion has a quantifiable knock-on effect to local economies. In Belfast, for example, it’s estimated that businesses lost 24 working days per vehicle per year to congestion in 2015, at a financial cost of around £12.6 billion. This, in just one of the UK’s main cities, shows just how much productivity is lost to traffic congestion and how improving the road network and planning ahead for activities that regularly cause traffic problems could help to improve local economies.
Traffic surveys from RDS
At Road Data Services we specialise in a range of dedicated road, traffic, journey and pedestrian surveys which collect accurate, reliable data. We use a range of methods and supply data in whichever format is best for you, giving you the information you need to make informed decisions about road changes, traffic management, access to new developments and much more.
A report published by the Department for Transport shows a fall in journeys made by bike and suggests that cyclists are worried about their safety because of the volume of traffic on the roads.
The report was based on the results of two surveys carried out across England. It showed that, whilst people were making an average of 18 journeys by bike per year in 2014, that number had dropped to 15 journeys in 2016 – although the distance those cyclists were travelling had increased.
It’s a worrying trend for promoters of cycling as an alternative to cars, and also for local and national government, which wants to encourage more journeys by bike. In 2017, the government published a cycling and walking investment strategy, but pressure groups say that the strategy is underfunded, with all but the largest cities failing to spend enough on safe lanes or spaces for cyclists and pedestrians.
Why are people worried about cycling?
Cycling on the roads can be a dangerous business, particularly on roads where no cycle lanes exist, or where the roads are not well-maintained. Cyclists often find their path is littered with potholes, drain covers and poorly-kept kerbs, making it difficult to ride safely. Greater driver education is also necessary, say cycling groups, so that drivers do take the time to slow down, overtake safely and give cyclists space.
The figures showed that women are more likely than men to be put off by the state of the roads or the possible dangers of busy traffic, but that most groups would get out on the bike more if they felt safer. This is a clear guide to legislators, and the government is expected to announce a review of cycling safety later this year, which may include whether to make it a legal requirement to wear a cycle helmet.
The places where cycling is most successful are those places where cycle lanes are wide enough and well-maintained; where there is plenty of signage, and where cyclists are taken off the roads at particularly busy or dangerous places and put on a footpath cycleway instead. These are expensive retro-fit things to put in place but, with the proper data and the right planning, it should be possible to cater safely for cyclists and pedestrians where new routes are being planned.
Talk to Road Data Services
If you are planning a new development or looking for innovative ways to improve a local road system, talk to us about our transport, traffic and pedestrian surveys. We provide accurate, relevant data that helps you to make informed decisions that are in the best interests of all road users. To find out more, contact us today.
In a report released earlier this year, Transport for the North – a partnership including elected and business leaders from Northern England alongside government and national transport bodies – looked at how the Northern road network could be improved in order to support economic growth.
In a report titled Initial Major Roads Report – Strategic Transport Plan Evidence Base, the authors state that the Strategic Road Network – motorways, for example – makes up just 2% of the road systems in this part of the UK, and so in order to boost economic progress, it’s the roads that lead from the motorways to the key developmental areas of the North that require the most attention.
Key strategic areas
The report says that the evidence it has gathered shows the four major economic areas that are affected by the major road network:
- Ports and airports
- NPIER (Northern Powerhouse Independent Economic Review)industry clusters
- Important economic centres – including cities, towns, universities and enterprise zones
- Areas of tourism
The major road networks to all of these key areas across Northern England need to be strong and reliable enough to enable economic growth and success.
The importance of journey time
One of the critical factors in supporting this success is reliable journey times. It is important that the road network is reliable, resilient and efficient, says the report, in order that people and goods can travel with an expectation of reasonable journey time and without hold-ups because the network is inadequate.
The report says that improving the road network and, by extension, journey reliability brings the following productivity benefits:
- Attracting and retaining highly skilled workers to live and work in the North.
- Opening up opportunities in the labour market by allowing longer distance commuting trips.
- Providing sufficient capacity to meet long term demand, and to improve resilience and reliability across the network.
- Supporting current investment, and attracting foreign direct investment.
- Helping businesses to collaborate closely, and improve their access to their supply chain.
- Reducing operating costs.
- Enhancing the user experience.
- Enhancing trading opportunities.
- Enhancing the quality of life for all people living in the North.
You can read the full report here – and see how the road network needs to be improved in order to support plans for a growing, sustainable and successful Northern economy.
Journey time surveys from RDS
Improved journey times have a positive effect on a wide range of people – from commuters to freight companies and the businesses in the area. Anyone who uses the roads wants a simple, quick and reliable journey, whether travelling on public transport or using their own vehicle. Journey surveys help planners, developers and strategists to see where roads are currently inadequate, and provide a bench mark so that progress can be measured as roads are improved.
To find out how Road Data Services can help to plan and execute detailed journey surveys for your development or long-term roads strategy, contact us today.
In his budget statement last week, the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, said that the government intended to build 300,000 homes per year in England. This refers to new building, rather than refurbishing existing buildings for domestic use, so there will inevitably be a knock-on effect in terms of transport planning. So what does this mean for developers, planners and local communities?
Many housing experts agree that, in order to make a difference to the housing market by reducing house prices and providing more housing for those who really need it, much of this promised housing needs to be truly affordable. However, affordable housing is still mostly bought by people who drive – and often have two cars per household. This increases the potential traffic in a development area and has an impact on the local environment.
State-of-play traffic surveys
Before designing a development, there are many factors for property companies to consider. One is the existing state of things, and that includes current traffic conditions. New developments tend to be built, where possible, on brown field sites, and these are usually in urban areas and are either previous industrial sites, or sites that have been previously developed for other use. The location of these sites means they are often adjacent to areas that are already well-developed, alongside major roads and close to existing retail or office developments. So the impact on local traffic is an essential part of the design and planning process.
An initial traffic survey will allow developers to see how things currently stand, and will provide clear data with which to plan the next steps. This can be run alongside pedestrian surveys and parking surveys, to ensure that all aspects of road use are considered, and local communities are consulted about the things that matter to them.
Data can be used to support potential changes to the road system, to justify the addition of crossing points, bike lanes and speed management initiatives, and to demonstrate how the new development will manage traffic positively and safely for the good of the whole community.
Traffic surveys from RDS
At Road Data Services we work with all parties involved in new housing, retail or commercial developments to understand existing traffic conditions and prepare plans for how those conditions might change. We use the latest technology and expert surveyors to provide our clients with clear, reliable data that informs good decision making. To find out more about how we can help, contact us today.
In a week where London has announced the T-Charge and Swansea has introduced a diversionary system for traffic when air pollution is particularly bad, the role of traffic surveys and monitoring is becoming ever-more important to the health and wellbeing of the population.
Traffic’s contribution to air quality
There’s no doubt that the increase in the number of vehicles on the road contributes to poorer air quality. Diesel vehicles in particular have been pinpointed as damaging to the environment, and the T-Charge introduced by the Mayor of London this week means that drivers bringing older, more polluting cars into the capital will have to pay an additional £10 fee on top of the congestion charge. London’s air quality is often extremely poor, with around 9,000 premature deaths per year linked to air pollution, according to the Mayor.
Understanding where and how the traffic pollutes most is part of designing and implementing a workable solution, so professional traffic surveys look at congestion points, the number of vehicles on the road over a range of times during the day and night, and how those journeys might be diverted or completed in other ways.
Diversions in Swansea
Councillors have been so worried about air pollution in certain areas of Swansea that they have invested in a system that monitors the air quality and diverts drivers away from affected areas when necessary.
The scheme, which is called Nowcaster, uses dedicated road signs on the approach to the affected areas. The boards advise drivers to use an alternative route, but they do not have to follow the advice. Councillors hope that the boards will help to divert some traffic, reducing congestion and improving air quality on particularly poor days.
An issue to take seriously
The poor quality of air is a serious problem in cities across the UK. Roads are becoming even more congested and, although newer cars have an engine shut-off system that avoids engines turning over at traffic lights or in traffic jams, the majority of older cars do not, so pollution is pumped out of exhausts all the time. As local councils address this problem, they need accurate data to work from so that they can plan for a healthier future.
Traffic surveys from RDS
At RDS we work with councils, planners, developers and other interested parties to get a clear idea of what is happening on our roads and provide the data that helps decision makers to plan for routes, systems and projects that aim to improve air quality. To find out more about how any of our surveys can help you to gather reliable information for your air pollution issues, just contact us today.
There are many reasons for initiating peak hour traffic surveys, and one of those is to discover just how busy our roads get during this time. When travel is slow and journey times are longer, people become more frustrated, pollution increases and residents and workers may even start to look for somewhere else to live and do business.
Case study: Bradford
A recent report in the Telegraph and Argus, Bradford’s local paper, says that some roads see an average speed of less than 15mph during rush-hour traffic, with the busiest road averaging just 10mph. These roads are the key routes in and out of the city and morning traffic includes commuters and school traffic. The added pressure on the roads increases pollution, adds to the damage on the road itself and makes for a miserable start to the day.
To try and combat this problem, Bradford is teaming up with other local authorities across West Yorkshire to draw up a regional plan to tackle congestion. Currently, a real-time traffic monitoring system is being tested, which can control traffic signals based on the amount of traffic on the roads, and link up with sat nav systems to direct traffic away from areas that are already bottlenecked. Other ways to reduce the traffic include adding more park and ride options at the outskirts of the city, and planning with rail partners, who are adding extra carriages to certain trains in the future.
The councillor managing transport issues for Bradford said that the city needed to concentrate on easing choke points around the area, and on encouraging people to move from the one-person-one-car habit so that they can make smarter travel choices.
Keeping an eye on the traffic
It’s important for all local authorities to keep a constant watch on traffic movement and build-up in their areas. Whether traffic changes seasonally, with school holidays or students arriving at university, or whether it’s affected by large housing developments or new retail facilities, the consequences to the life and health of an area with constantly clogged-up roads can be serious.
Regularly auditing traffic flow, journey times, pedestrian travel and parking arrangements help local authorities to plan ahead, and to have the data they need to forecast potential traffic issues relating to local development plans.
Traffic surveys from RDS
At Road Data Services, we conduct a wide range of traffic and pedestrian surveys, supplying high-quality data that enables our clients to make informed decisions. We use the latest technology and design the survey to meet your needs. To find out more, or to arrange a survey for your next project, please contact us today.
This month has seen the transport industry call for an overhaul in the planning and development of new travel systems. The new approach would ensure that when developing new systems, planners take into account the effect of the total environmental impact of the new infrastructure instead of only registering the direct emissions from the increased traffic.
Changes in the UK
In the UK all aspects of transport are constantly being updated and reviewed. The issues that transport planners face include higher demands placed on ageing infrastructure services due to a booming population, and an increase in the requirement or necessity to travel. The effects of meeting these demands can be seen in the still-growing number of vehicles on the road, despite investment and promotion of alternative methods of travel.
Part of the need to revolutionise transport systems comes from the results of these increased transport levels: here are just a few of the infrastructure consequences.
- The plans for a new, London-based airport, or a third Heathrow runway, are a consequence of increased demand for flights. Building a third runway will involve planning for the extra traffic – both from travellers and from companies servicing the airport – that this plan will generate.
- The need for greater connectivity between the North and South of England, and the greater demand for faster train travel is being met by plans for HS2. Again, there’s no clear indication that this will reduce road travel and, because this is such a long-term project, planners will still need to look at the road system in the meantime.
- Out-of-town developments and new town developments all result in increased traffic, and as the government and local authorities look for new sites for hundreds of thousands of necessary new homes, the impact on the road and public transport system will have to be a key consideration.
How clear traffic data can help
Infrastructure has to be in place in order to meet the increased demand of both public and private services. Transport planners rely on traffic information from all sectors in order to create a system that is the most effective, in terms of cost, resources, environmental impact, and usability. Traffic information comes in all shapes and sizes, from the level of traffic at peak times to providing data on road users and infrastructure wear and tear.
If you’re interested in road traffic data surveys and would like to know more, contact me today.
Earlier this month, the French government announced a new initiative to ban the sale of diesel and gasoline cars by 2040. This bold move will have an impact across the motoring industry, from development of new technology to changing infrastructure.
The Age of Electricity
The ban on diesel and gasoline cars means that they will be replaced by electric cars – those powered by lithium ion batteries instead of conventional combustion engines. This has been a goal for global environment lobbyists for some time, as well as presenting a real challenge for vehicle engineers and designers.
Several major car brands have been investigating branching out into this area of the motoring industry, and France’s declaration – and it might not be the only country to make such an announcement – has provided them with an added incentive. Here are some of the aims of the biggest car companies:
- Volvo Cars announced that it is planning on only producing hybrid and electric cars by 2019.
- Volkswagen has stated that it will build one million electric cars every year by 2020.
- BMW is launching an electric equivalent of their 3-Series sedan.
- Ford is going to add hybrid versions of most of its cars by 2020.
Tesla
Each of these car brands are only just moving into this market. The manufacturer that they have to compete with is Tesla, which has been perfecting its electric car range for decades. Entrepreneur Elon Musk announced that the first production unit of Tesla’s Model 3 would be finished in July – with 20,000 built by December 2017. This will be the first mass-produced electric car to hit the market, with the affordable price tag of around US$35,000.
Infrastructure
Tesla’s Model 3 will be able to drive 215 miles on one charge. Taking that as an average standard for the development of other electric cars, it seems safe to assume that France’s infrastructure will need to change to ensure that by 2040 the roads can cope with the demands of the electric cars – meaning more charging points at more frequent intervals.
UK traffic surveys from RDS
This potential change in motoring practice requires research and planning to ensure that the road infrastructure keeps up with the pace of vehicle development. Whilst the UK hasn’t made any declarations of the type we’ve heard from France, there will certainly be incentives to move away from vehicles powered by fossil fuels to those using cleaner energy.
Traffic data analysis and road traffic services may be key in ensuring a smooth transition between diesel and gasoline vehicles to electric cars. If you’re interested in road traffic data, or need an insight into traffic analysis, contact Road Data Services today.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) is a recently-developed technology which uses vehicle number plates to recognise and track vehicles. It’s used both to aid police with criminal enquiries, and to monitor and survey traffic movements. Here, we’ve listed just a few examples of how ANPR technology is used on our roads across the UK.
Security
Saturday June 24th saw the celebrations of Armed Forces Day in full swing across the country. Increased security measures took the form of covert police officers, use of CCTV, police dogs, and automatic number plate recognition.
Following the recent terrorist attacks, security services have been keeping a close eye on the movements of people on particular watch lists. One way of keeping up with this is monitoring vehicle movement. With the extra security surrounding all major events, police are constantly watching ANPR data to give them a clear idea of movement.
Everyday use
Along with helping out anti-terrorist police units, ANPR is also used by local police in day-to-day situations. In Leeds, several stolen motorbikes were recovered thanks to the number plate recognition technology, whilst in Hull a man is in court after being caught by ANPR whilst misusing a bus lane.
Public use
The city of Aberdeen is one of the places catching onto the benefits of this technology – the local council is spending £300,000 to install ANPR along with extra CCTV cameras. The technology will monitor traffic flow, as well as keeping an eye out for dangerous driving on the roads. The outcome of the council’s investment will be safer roads and better traffic flow thanks to the real-time traffic information that will be used to divert traffic away from busy roads, alongside changing traffic signals and putting out traffic information bulletins.
Planning and development
ANPR is now commonly used by companies like RDS to survey traffic and provide key data to transport planners and development companies. Highly accurate data informs better decision making, which in turn means that new industrial, commercial and residential developments include appropriate road and transport links.
Want to know more?
If you think your project could benefit from professional traffic data or you’re interested in finding out more about the help and information that traffic surveys can provide, contact Road Data Services today.
As election day draws closer, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) has appealed to all political parties to make improved road safety a priority during the next Parliament.
PACTS wrote to all major parties after the election had been announced, saying that more needs to be done to reduce the number of deaths on the road. This is particularly concerning for the Council, because the number of road deaths has not decreased in statistical terms since 2011. Before then, there had been a rapid decline in numbers.
Despite Britain having voted to leave the European Union, PACTS asked political parties to commit to the EU’s proposed changes to vehicle safety regulations, and for the establishment of a UK road collision investigation body, to oversee how road collision information is collected and used.
As far as PACTS is concerned, such an overhaul would include tackling dangerous driving, making the roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians, encouraging the development of safer vehicles, and changing attitudes towards death on our roads so that safety has the same priority as it does on other modes of transport such as trains and aeroplanes.
Pedestrian and traffic surveys
Survey data can play a crucial role in improving road safety both locally and nationally. Understanding how people use the roads, knowing where so-called accident blackspots occur, and showing the relationship between road users and pedestrians gives local authorities, planners and road safety specialists access to qualified, accurate data that gives a clear picture of the way particular roads are used.
This data can then be used to influence traffic calming measures, the introduction of cycle paths, wider pavements and barriers to keep pedestrians safe, the siting of pedestrian crossings and other measures to help keep the roads safe for all road users.
Traffic surveys from RDS
At Road Data Services we design, implement and report data from traffic surveys, pedestrian surveys, parking surveys and more. Our data is supplied in the format that’s best for you, and we work with planners, developers, road safety groups, local authorities and others to help improve road planning and design and make our roads safer places to be.
To find out more about how we can help, just contact us today.
