A sevenfold increase in smart traffic cameras will help the city’s traffic control team respond better to road accidents – and also fine more people driving illegally in bus lanes.
Brighton and Hove City Council is set to vote on plans to replace three existing cameras and buy 21 new ones, with an option of buying another 20 at a later date.
The cameras would be jointly funded by the council and the regional Local Enterprise Partnership.
Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the city’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “The extra cameras are part of a move to use new technology to improve the transport network for residents, businesses and visitors.
“Innovations like mobile-friendly ‘real-time’ bus information or using technology to respond more efficiently to congestion, incidents and roadworks is making a real difference to travelling around the city.”
The new cameras would allow the traffic control team to better respond to congestion or incidents as they occur, by, for example, altering traffic lights phasing to ease traffic flow and being able to get information faster, reducing disruption for road users.
It will also improve capacity to enforce illegal driving in the priority lanes, improving journey times for bus, taxi and coach passengers, and some motorcyclists. They also provide vital clearways for emergency vehicles, when needed.
Other traffic technology used by the council includes improving traffic signal-controlled junctions and pedestrian crossings, information for drivers, bus passengers and cyclists, and expanding the city’s electric vehicle charging point network.
A programme to replace street lighting with new energy efficient LED lighting, which can significantly reduce carbon emissions, also includes the potential to introduce smart technology into the lamp columns.
This allows better control over individual lamps to ensure accurate switching on and off and fault reporting/repair times, and also wider uses such as wi-fi and sensors that can collect information on weather (useful to assess gritting in winter), traffic speed and congestion, air quality, gully conditions and available parking.
Last month SGN worked with the council to upgrade the gas supply network in Western Road by using a robot underground, lessening the impact of the road works in a very busy, city centre location.
The LEP funding is worth just under £270,000, and is the final stage of a three-year programme that secured nearly £2 million overall. If agreed by the environment, transport and sustainability committee tomorrow, 27 June, the new cameras would go live on 1 April next year.
Q. Can I go into a bus lane to overtake a vehicle waiting to make turn right or blocking the outer lane?
A. vehicle may use the bus lane for the sole purpose of maneuvering around a stationery vehicle, provided the vehicle immediately returns to the outer lane and does not remain in the bus lane.
does B&H Council gives this guidence anywhere? i bet not….
Shame it won’t stop the cyclist from using the bus lanes such as along past St Peters/ grand parade where they too are excluded!