6 traffic changes coming for London – including new near miss cameras and updated traffic lights
Transport for London has announced a new plan to revolutionise how the capital’s streets operate over the next five years.
The first-ever pan-city roadworks plan will focus on using innovation to deliver safer, healthier, and more efficient journeys for millions of Londoners, the regulator said in an accompanying statement on Monday (26 January).
It added that there will be a particular focus on improving the capital’s bus network – one of the most accessible and affordable ways of travelling in London.
Some of the key changes include:
- Improvements to London’s world-leading FUSION traffic control system. FUSION will allow TfL to use more data and greater computing power to ensure that traffic signals can react faster and smarter, avoiding congestion and helping people to move around the city better than ever. The system will be updated to analyse a broader range of data when making decisions about signal timings and can be upgraded in future to take advantage of artificial intelligence sensors. The changes could reduce delays by up to 14% and deliver £1 billion in benefits through reduced journey times
- TfL is expanding the use of Vivacity cameras across London to better understand how people and vehicles move through the city. Unlike traditional monitoring systems, Vivacity technology uses AI to distinguish between different modes of travel including walking, cycling, wheelchair use, taxis, and heavy goods vehicles. This will provide more inclusive data and will support smarter decisions around things such as pedestrian crossing times. TfL is working closely with boroughs on a data-sharing agreement, which will give access to insights from over 1,000 cameras, highlighting the importance of collaboration in shaping London’s future mobility
- Accelerating bus priority measures to improve bus speeds for millions of customers. A total of 2,080 traffic signals are now equipped with bus priority technology. Utilising new technology, TfL has ambitious plans to expand this to all 3,500 signals which buses pass through by 2030
- Carrying out signal timing reviews of entire bus routes instead of specific areas for the first time. Comprehensive reviews of signal timings across entire bus routes will ensure that buses and the millions of people who rely on them can move across the road network efficiently as possible
- Expanding the use of BusSense, a partnership with boroughs that reduces the impact of high-impact roadworks on bus routes through better coordination. Early results showed a 3.5% improvement in bus journey times where it has been deployed, and TfL is planning to partner with all boroughs by this autumn
- Working with the boroughs to rollout vital new roads infrastructure to tackle road danger across London and trialling the use of new technology to reduce road danger, such as near miss detection cameras.
“I’m committed to making London’s transport network as safe, efficient, and sustainable as possible. Congestion is annoying for everyone, and it costs our economy millions of pounds a year. This innovative new strategy will tackle the causes of congestion head-on,” said Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
“This bold new approach to managing the capital’s streets will ensure they work for everyone: harnessing cutting-edge technology and infrastructure to reduce congestion, keep Londoners safe, and speed up journey times on London’s bus network.
“These improvements are vital to achieving my ambition for 80% of journeys to be made by walking, cycling or public transport, as we continue building a greener and better London for everyone.”
