Excellence in Road Safety, Traffic Management and Enforcement
A submission in this category should demonstrate:
Examples of speed management, road safety education, road space reallocation projects (for example towards providing bus or cycle lanes or pedestrian/people space), paving and parking strategies and enforcement, and road pricing schemes.
Results such casualty reduction, improved journey reliability, modal shift and/or increase in patronage levels, active travel take-up, slower speeds, and congestion reduction.
Previous Winners:
2023: Stagecoach East: Intelligent Speed Assist
2019: Hackney Council – Hackney School Streets & Scotland TranServ Strategic Road Safety Team – Saving Lives through Innovation
2018: Essex County Council, Extra Eyes, the Safer Essex Roads Partnership
2017: Wirral Council, Mind Your Business
2016: Transport for London, Safer Lorry Scheme
Stagecoach South East: Service Delivery Initiatives in Kent and East Sussex - On Board CEOs and Kent Streetworks
In the past year, Stagecoach South East (SSE) has focused on enhancing service delivery across its networks, specifically addressing traffic management and enforcement to combat illegal and inconsiderate parking that adversely affects bus operations. Such parking not only disrupts drivers' ability to adhere to schedules but can also necessitate lengthy diversions or hinder passengers from boarding and alighting safely.
Through collaboration with On-bus Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs), drivers can utilise the new ‘Relay the Delay’ portal to report incidents of illegal parking directly. This facilitates targeted responses from CEOs and allows SSE to review parking restrictions and engage with local councillors to request additional controls in frequently affected areas. Over an eight-month period, this initiative led to the issuance of approximately 200 penalty charge notices, the painting of four new yellow lines, enforcement of three new bus stop restrictions, and the introduction of two new bus plates. In many cases, vehicles that could not be enforced against were moved on after drivers were educated on the impacts of their parking.
For instance, Meads Street in Eastbourne, which had insufficient parking restrictions, transitioned to a 24-hour parking limit following CEO recommendations to the council, resulting in improved reliability for bus services in that area. Additionally, SSE provided input to mitigate the impact of roadworks proposed by Southern Gas Networks (SGN) along a major bus corridor in Thanet (the A28), ensuring minimal disruption to bus routes during construction. These efforts are essential for maintaining reliable and safe public transport.
East Dunbartonshire Council and Stantec: Canniesburn Toll Active Travel Accessibility
The rapid expansion of residential developments near Canniesburn Toll in Bearsden and Milngavie has resulted in increased queues and prolonged journey times at this critical junction. An assessment of vehicle movements identified a necessity for traffic signals. Contributions from developers have facilitated funding for a comprehensive traffic signal design and a commitment to upgrade the junction.
Stantec collaborated with East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) to re-envision the operational dynamics of Canniesburn Toll, emphasising enhanced safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The current conditions make crossing any arm of the junction hazardous due to high traffic speeds. A fully inclusive design package has been developed, paving the way for construction that commenced in late 2023, with an anticipated completion by summer 2024.
Traffic models were created to evaluate queue lengths and journey times, ensuring that users would not experience significant delays, while also future-proofing the junction for anticipated increases in traffic due to ongoing developments. The revised design includes provisions for all pedestrians, including those with mobility impairments, ensuring safe crossings at all junction arms. Cyclists will benefit from improved navigation options, with a shared-use footway around the roundabout's perimeter.
Innovative traffic signal technology will employ a MOVA system, dynamically responding to traffic volumes at the junction. Additionally, a bespoke sustainable urban drainage system has been integrated into the design to address historical flooding issues. An ecological appraisal has also been conducted to incorporate biodiversity net gain into the project. The design is aimed at increasing resilience to climate change, ensuring a safer environment for all road users.
Clearview Intelligence Ltd: A78 Steventson to Eglington Toll Speed Class Scheme
The A78 corridor, particularly between Pennyburn Roundabout and the rail bridge, has been the focus of a targeted safety initiative aimed at addressing significant safety concerns. According to data from Transport Scotland and Amey, this section recorded 50% of the corridor’s total 21 collisions. Notably, southbound and eastbound directions exhibited a higher frequency of collisions occurring in dark and wet conditions, particularly in areas lacking street lighting. Conversely, the northbound and westbound directions reported that three out of four collisions were shunt-type incidents, primarily occurring as vehicles approached the 40mph limit and roundabout, likely due to varying rates of deceleration among vehicles.
In response to these challenges, Amey collaborated with Clearview Intelligence to develop an effective solution. This involved the installation of solar-powered road studs throughout the interchange to enhance lighting conditions. Additionally, Clearview Intelligence implemented a sustainable vehicle count and classification system, powered by solar and wind energy. Vehicles exceeding the national speed limit are detected by inductive loops, triggering a Vehicle Activated Sign that displays a “Slow Down” message tailored to the specific speed classification of the vehicle, using the LPSIG9 class scheme.
To accommodate the dual carriageway, two signs were installed on the verge. This dynamic speed warning system serves as a visible reminder for drivers to monitor their speeds in accordance with their vehicle classification. The first-year rate of return for this initiative is reported at 57.49%, indicating its effectiveness in improving road safety and mitigating collision risks, with a notable reduction in speed transgressions observed.
Transport for West Midlands - M5 Junction 1 Works
M5 Junction 1 serves as a crucial interchange in the West Midlands, linking the strategic road network with the key route network. This junction has a longstanding history of delays and congestion, particularly affecting access from Sandwell and Birmingham. Traffic signals operating with outdated equipment were identified as a primary factor contributing to these issues. The junction experiences high traffic volumes, with approximately 100,000 vehicles per day during weekdays, 90,000 on Saturdays, and 85,000 on Sundays.
Recognizing the impact of congestion on public transport and the obsolescence of traffic control equipment, M5 Junction 1 was designated as a priority location for an improvement scheme, which received funding through the Highways Intervention Strategy in early 2023. As part of the enhancements, over 30 traffic signal heads were replaced with LED units, which are more cost-effective. Additionally, two new traffic signal controllers and two updated MOVA units, now operating under MOVA v8 with full validation, were installed. The signals were configured for Urban Traffic Control (UTC) using Sandwell's new UTC system, and three new CCTV cameras were installed for monitoring purposes.
The upgraded signals commenced operation in October 2023, following a Travel Demand Management and Communication messaging campaign. Preliminary results indicate a reduction in occurrences of the gyratory "locking up," a frequent issue prior to the upgrades. Furthermore, National Express West Midlands reported a 13% improvement in route reliability for local services traversing the M5 Junction 1, attributed directly to the scheme's implementation.
Arriva UK Bus: Stop and Stay road safety campaign
The Stop and Stay campaign represents a targeted road safety initiative launched by Arriva in Merseyside in 2023. Its primary objective is to encourage schoolchildren and pedestrians to pause before crossing the road after disembarking from a bus. The campaign was conceived by Matt Mort, Risk Manager for Arriva Merseyside, in collaboration with both internal and external communications teams.
To effectively convey the message, a variety of digital materials were developed, including posters, a video, and a CCTV clip depicting a collision where a schoolboy was struck by a vehicle after leaving a bus. This approach aims to illustrate how hurried movements can lead to accidents when children are eager to reach school or meet friends and parents.
Arriva has actively promoted the campaign by displaying posters on its buses and distributing a digital booklet to over 80 local high schools, facilitating engagement between teachers and students. Prior to the campaign's launch, an average of one road accident involving children exiting buses occurred every three months. However, since September 2023, no such incidents have been reported.
Additionally, campaign materials have been translated into Welsh, with plans for rollout in schools in Wales. The initiative received recognition in May 2024, winning Campaign of the Year at the Safety and Health Excellence Awards and being shortlisted for the Bus Initiative of the Year award at the CIHT Awards in June. Through this campaign, Arriva seeks to enhance road safety for young pedestrians, addressing their unique vulnerabilities as road users.
Aberdeen City Council: Aberdeen City Centre Bus Priority Improvements
The North East Bus Alliance, consisting of Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Nestrans, First Aberdeen, Stagecoach Bluebird, and Bains Coaches, is collaborating with Transport Scotland’s Bus Partnership Fund (BPF) team to implement new bus priority measures in the region as part of the Alliance’s Regional Bus Action Plan. In Autumn 2023, the first BPF infrastructure project was completed in Aberdeen, featuring enhancements to South College Street and a new active travel and public transport priority loop, co-funded by Nestrans. This initiative has facilitated safer walking, wheeling, and cycling, while improving the efficiency of bus transit to and through the area, thus enhancing accessibility to the bus station.
Previously, significant congestion around the bus station had resulted in lengthy delays for buses accessing and exiting the facility. The newly established loop features bus gate enforcement cameras to minimise non-essential traffic, guiding through-traffic to appropriate bypass routes while allowing legitimate residential and business access. Consequently, approximately 600,000 individuals per month are now benefiting from improved punctuality rates exceeding 95%, with bus journey times in the city centre reduced by up to 25%, equating to a five-minute saving on a typical 20-minute journey.
A recent passenger survey indicated that 81% of respondents expressed satisfaction with bus services, while 86% were satisfied with journey times. These improvements have contributed to a near 10% growth in bus usage since the implementation of the new measures. To address concerns regarding visibility, additional funding was allocated for clearer signage and road markings. Both First and Stagecoach have committed to reinvesting annual savings from the new measures to enhance customer experience, including the provision of free weekend travel across the region in January 2024.
