Always Signal at Traffic Lights

Since the UK DfT came up with Urban Traffic Management Control (UTMC) as one of its key initiatives to address traffic pollution issues, a major cross boundary project has been undertaken in the West Midlands, UK. Called MATTISSE, it involves Birmingham and Coventry City Councils, Solihull, Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley Metropolitan Borough Councils and is channeled through Wolverhampton City Council for funding purposes.

This project has been designed to reduce congestion in the metropolitan area by bringing together each of the regions’ existing UTC centres into one Centre of Excellence based at Quinton. Managed by Telent, all the individual traffic systems are linked together to collect data and provide information.

An essential part of the MATTISSE system is the network of StreetBox pollution monitors supplied by Signal Group (UK). Continuously monitoring pollutant gases such as SO2, CO and NOx, these monitors provide key data for the analysis of air quality in the region.

The StreetBox has also been used for impact assessment on the construction of new roads, air quality modeling within tunnels and as an indicative measurement of volume of stationary traffic at junctions, which can then be used to alter traffic light signaling timings to reduce stationary waiting traffic down to acceptable levels.