Fuel for thought
Copyright © Siemens plc 2008. All rights reserved.
Fuel for thought
The reduction of congestion and
maximising of network capacity
has always been a key objective
for traffic managers
Recent research by the AA
highlights the additional impact
queuing traffic and congestion
have on emissions
Page 2
May-08
Siemens Traffic
Keeping traffic moving
Reducing congestion and keeping
traffic moving offers significant
benefits in minimising CO2
emissions
Effective network management
requires a strategic plan which
considers both control of traffic and
information dissemination
Solutions must be expandable and
supportable to accommodate future
growth
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May-08
Siemens Traffic
Benefits of Comet
 Single solution for integrated
network management and
control
 Modular design allows the
system to grow with future
network demands
 Flexible core system tailored to
individual requirements
 Latest UTMC standards for
ease of integration and
expansion
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May-08
Siemens Traffic
How can Comet help to reduce congestion?
Comet provides a flexible, expandable solution which can grow as the
demands of network management evolve
Strategic network
monitoring and control
Information availability
Tactical control
Comet
Links to external
agencies
www
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May-08
Siemens Traffic
Comet – The bigger picture
Comet optimises network
performance by addressing key
factors facing traffic managers today
Resourcing – operator workload is
reduced by extensive capabilities for
automated network monitoring and
reporting by exception
Automatic or manual control of
strategic plans provides a
consistent, repeatable response to
incidents
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May-08
Siemens Traffic
Network management - Strategic control
 Comet allows a wide range of strategic response plans to be
generated which can be operated manually or automatically
 Commands can be sent to any externally connected UTMC system
or module within Comet to simply and effectively respond to any
unplanned incident or planned events
 In Sefton, Comet allows the network to be managed efficiently
without operator intervention – ideal for events at Aintree which can
cause significant congestion in Sefton
 Additionally, congestion is reduced by using the most appropriate
method of control dynamically through Comet rather than the
traditional time of day approach
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May-08
Siemens Traffic
Network management – Journey time monitoring
Journey time monitoring in Comet
using ANPR allows accurate, up to the
minute information to be included in
the network management process
The live journey time data supports
both network management as well as
network performance trend analysis
JTMS offers a rich source of data for
both live and analytical operations
Inherent accuracy in JTMS with ANPR
provides high quality, reliable data
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May-08
Siemens Traffic
Network monitoring – Performance analysis
Comet provides the ideal source of
data for network performance
monitoring
In addition to ANPR derived data,
UTMC allows a variety of other
sources to be integrated and then
used for network performance
analysis
Comet enables facility usage to be
analysed in conjunction with
congestion data to further optimise
strategic management plans
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May-08
Siemens Traffic
Information availability
Variable message signs play an important role in providing network
information from Comet at decision points along the route
The benefits of VMS were proven in a survey undertaken as part of the
original ROMANSE project where an average of 17% of drivers modified
their route as a result of messages on VMS
VMS information is a powerful weapon in the armoury of the traffic manager
but reliability and accuracy of information is critical
Page 10
May-08
Siemens Traffic
Better information before travelling
Live traffic and travel information
from the Internet linked directly to
Comet provides accurate and
reliable data for deciding when and
how to travel
Quality and accuracy of information
is critical to the usage of the service
Information published must consider
the location and time of use
Linking directly to Comet minimises
operator workload by rapidly
disseminating information
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May-08
Siemens Traffic
Tactical control with SCOOT
Traffic signals
 SCOOT
MC3 continually
monitors the SCOOT
Update
on SCOOT
MC3
network,ofsearching
forsupervisor
inefficiencies and
 Benefits
congestion
congestion
Details
of Service Pack 1
 Identifies frequently congested intersections and
provides diagnosis for
 Faulty detectors and resultant problems
 Overloaded junctions
 Wasted capacity
 SCOOT MC3 Service Pack 1 includes additional
features for dealing with congestion caused by
exit blocking and enhanced pedestrian strategies
Page 12
May-08
Siemens Traffic
Benefits of Comet
 Single solution for integrated network
management and control
 Modular design allows the system to grow
with future network demands
 Flexible core system is tailored to meet
individual requirements
 Wide network of existing users provides
support as well as shared development of
new features and enhancements
 Regular software update programme
Page 13
May-08
Siemens Traffic
Fuel for thought
Copyright © Siemens plc 2008. All rights reserved.