Smart traffic lights that tell motorists how fast to drive so they arrive at the next light just as it turns green are set to be trialled in the UK

  • Stop-start traffic causes drivers to use their breaks and accelerate more 
  • Smart traffic lights are designed to cut congestion and reduce vehicle emissions
  • The technology will be tested using a simulation model of the A59 in York 

By PRESS ASSOCIATION and PHOEBE WESTON FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

Smart traffic lights designed to end stop-go driving could soon be tested in Britain.

The signals will advise motorists and vehicles what speed they should drive at so they arrive at the next set of lights just as they turn green.

An engineering firm is developing the a computer simulation to work out how to cut congestion and reduce vehicle emissions through more efficient driving.

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The signals (artist's impression) will advise motorists and vehicles what speed they should drive at so they arrive at the next set of lights just as they turn green 

The signals (artist's impression) will advise motorists and vehicles what speed they should drive at so they arrive at the next set of lights just as they turn green 

Designed by multinational engineering firm AECOM, the concept will be tested using a simulation model of the A59 in York.

AECOM will look at how technology can enable traffic lights to 'talk' by building a computer model of part of the city's traffic corridor.

It will do this using VISSIM, which is multi-network traffic flow simulation software.

This allows researchers to simulate in detail how each individual vehicle might communicate with traffic lights.

Developers have been given £30,000 ($40,000) for being shortlisted in order to help them develop the technology. 

MailOnline has contacted AECOM to find out when they are planning to trial it on roads.  

The concept is one of five shortlisted entries in a competition launched by the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), Highways England and Innovate UK to create roads for driverless cars.

AECOM principal consultant Heather Hawkins said: 'We are excited and are eager to get started so we can better understand the potential impact of vehicle-to-infrastructure technologies on our local road network in York.

'We are fortunate to be living and working in a city which has chosen to be an early innovator, deploying and testing these technologies on-street through existing research programmes. It's truly inspiring and we are grateful to be a part of it.'

Stop-start traffic causes drivers to use their breaks and accelerate more which causes wear to the vehicle and also increased emissions. 

Stop-start traffic causes drivers to use their breaks and accelerate more which causes wear to the vehicle and also increased emissions (stock image)

Stop-start traffic causes drivers to use their breaks and accelerate more which causes wear to the vehicle and also increased emissions (stock image)

NIC chairman Sir John Armitt said: 'We can see for ourselves the progress in developing cars for the future, with trials of driverless cars taking place across the country.

'We now need to make sure the technology on our roads keeps up.'

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: 'It is great to see novel technology like this being trialled.

This is not the first scheme to make roads more efficient using new technologies.  

Last year it was revealed smart traffic lights with artificial intelligence would be installed in Milton Keynes.  

These traffic lights will monitor speed and congestion, prioritise cyclists, buses and ambulances with green lights and use heatmaps to analyse how pedestrians and motorists are using the roads.

The city is set to trial the £3 million ($4m) project with 2,500 sensors monitoring all major junction points and car parking spaces starting in September.  

WHAT ARE 'SMART MOTORWAYS' AND WHERE ARE THEY?

Smart motorways' are supposed to ease congestion by allowing cars to drive on the hard shoulder at least some of the time, with traffic being monitored via cameras and 'active' speed signs.

There are currently more than 20 sections of 'smart motorway' on seven different motorways, including on sections of the M1, the M25, the M6, the M42 and the M4. 

Six more are under construction and another 18 are being planned.

However Highways England said a 'comprehensive' review of 'smart motorways' would be carried out after admitting lower limits were not always correctly set.

There are currently more than 20 sections of 'smart motorway' on seven different motorways, including on sections of the M25 and the M6

There are currently more than 20 sections of 'smart motorway' on seven different motorways, including on sections of the M25 and the M6

Jim O'Sullivan, chief executive, said that 40, 50 or 60mph limits were being set before congestion mounted on 'smart motorways' in England, using predictions about traffic levels.

Data has showed that 72,348 people were fined on motorways with variable speed limits last year. This was almost double the number a year earlier and a tenfold rise in five years.

Of those, two thirds of fines were handed out to motorists travelling at 69mph or below, even though the national speed limit is 70mph.

Highways England's advice on driving on smart motorways includes a list of recommendations:

  • Never drive under a red 'X' sign
  • Keep to the speed limit shown on the gantries 
  • A solid white line indicates the hard shoulder – don’t drive in it unless directed by signs 
  • Broken white lines show a normal running lane 
  • Use the refuge areas for emergencies if there’s no hard shoulder 
  • Put hazard lights on if you break down 
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