UK-based traffic technology supplier Clearview Intelligence has been awarded a contract to supply wireless vehicle detection systems to Newcastle City Council, which is trialling the equipment as an alternative to traditional electromagnetic induction loop technology.
Clearview’s tender win for Newcastle City Council covers the provision of wireless vehicle detection kit, using the company’s M100 product range for use on traffic signal controls across not only the city of Newcastle but also the wider Northeast region of the UK, including the metropolitan borough of Gateshead.
The tender was issued as Gateshead Council wished to have wireless vehicle detection used on appropriate future traffic signals, as this will reduce roadworks and be less invasive on the carriageways, meaning less congestion for local communities and safer working environments for highway engineers.
The tender not only included supply of kit, but also provision of training to the council’s installation and maintenance teams. The win has already resulted in the placing of an order for a junction upgrade that is under design, with the expectation of further orders throughout 2018 and beyond.
The M100 wireless vehicle detection system uses a compact magnetometer sensor that is deployed in the center of a traffic lane at the same point at which a traditional inductive loop would be installed, but without the cost, invasiveness and traffic disruption associated with the slot cutting, ducting and trenching work needed to install and maintain loops on a regular basis.
Its unique design allows the vehicle detection sensor to be buried beneath the wearing course of the road up to a depth of 7in (175mm), eliminating the need for the product to be removed from the pavement during resurfacing.
Vehicle detection data from the sensor is relayed back to the traffic signal controller via the system’s in-built low-powered two-way radio communications. Despite its compact size and weight, the M100 has an 8-10-year battery life. The system is Type approved to UK specification TR2512A and approved to Highways England standard MCH1529. It is the only such system to be compatible with all types and makes of urban traffic light systems such as SCOOT (split cycle offset optimization technique), MOVA (microprocessor optimized vehicle actuation) and System D.
“It’s great to see councils addressing the issue of congestion across their road networks, while being mindful of improving workers’ safety,” noted Andy Salotti, director of solutions at Clearview.
“The use of wireless technology on our roads is the key to ensuring future generations of road users are not sitting in one large traffic jam.”
